Grow Into One : SOS Sequel
by Emi Hikari
Summary: Renewed hope for Yuna, growing mysteries for Dylan, and strange rumblings in Spira let our heroines come together once more to save the world...and maybe someone else.
1. Intro, Chapter 1

Intro!-WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS!

This is the sequel fanfic for Tidus! w00t! Alrighty, the main character is Dylan Samuels, just like before. She is now nineteen, about to be a sophomore in college, and she still lives back on Earth in a little place called Brownsburg. She's still a huge Final Fantasy geek, and she still loves Tidus from FFX. Addison, her older brother who is about to be a junior in college, has mysteriously disappeared. In addition, Emi has also vanished, and Trisha's condition has worsened, forcing her to stay in the hospital 24-7. Dylan is still looking for a way back to Spira to reunite with her friends and maybe find a way to bring Tidus back.

Dylan has lost a little bit of weight and has gained some muscle tone, but she still has the same eye and hair color-though her hair style has become more feminine. And the obsession with thunderstorms is definitely still there. Anyway, she finished karate training, and now she has trained herself in other fighting styles and weaponry, so she's a pretty skilled fighter all around. She still plays the trombone, and she still raps, and she _definitely_ still dances.

There will be flashbacks at the beginning of most chapters, covering the events of the past two years in between visits to Spira-yeah that shouldn't be a surprise: she's going back. xP Anyway, the first two chapters won't have them, but from chapter three on, they will.

THIS STORY IS FULL OF SPOILERS. READ WITH CAUTION.

THAT MEANS _YOU_, SWELLS!

IF YOU DID NOT READ THE FIRST INSTALLMENT, CLOSE THIS AND FIND IT. READ IT FIRST. PLEASE. YOUR BRAIN WILL THANK YOU LATER. (XD)

Chapter 1: The Destruction of the Angels

Memo: Welcome back, everyone! ^_^ I feel like I've been waiting for forever to write this! Now I finally am here, and I'm ready to rock~ Let's do this bizness. It's biff time.

}{}{}{

"It's three o'clock; can I be done now?"

"No. One more run."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll pay you double."

"For God's sake, Jordan, play the run one more time!"

Slapping a hand to her forehead, Dylan sighed, trying to contain laughter as Emi's fourteen year old cousin, Jordan, picked up her trombone and put it to her lips. She had offered trombone lessons to Jordan for a summer job, and also as a favor to Jordan, who was like family to Dylan. The teen was naturally gifted with the brass instrument, despite being autistic, but Emi always was mad about the fact that Jordan had chosen trombone over flute. Just one more thing to pull Dylan and Emi apart.

"Better," Dylan said with a nod when the younger girl had finished. "Okay, you can be done now."

"'Bout time!" Jordan huffed a sigh, setting her trombone on the ground. "I hope by some grace of God that the director decides to nix this song."

"Why? It's cool." Dylan raised an eyebrow. "If you hate it so much, then quit the stupid orchestra. It sounds stupid to me anyway."

"Seriously? Aren't you the one wanting to be a band director?"

"Touche." The two girls chuckled.

"Anyway, thanks for the lesson," Jordan said, kicking open her trombone case. "When Emi comes back, maybe the three of us can do something fun, like play Final Fantasy XIII."

"You still haven't played it?" Dylan gasped, trying to change the subject.

"I've been waiting on Emi."

"All this time...?"

"It hasn't been that long, has it?"

"Six months, Jordan."

"...Huh. Guess I think about it less than you do."

_That's an understatement_, Dylan wanted to say, but she stopped herself. She didn't want to make Jordan sound heartless, because she certainly wasn't.

"Yeah, well...I can't help it. Anyway," Dylan hoisted her bag over her shoulder, "I'm going to the hospital now, but if you wanna hang out tomorrow, I'm all for it."

"I can't-my mom wants me home for Alex's baseball game." Jordan smiled understandingly. "Thanks, though."

Dylan merely smiled. "See you next week."

}{}{}{

_Has it really been six months_? I asked myself as I walked out to my little car.

Six months ago, Emi went out to get groceries at our local Wal-Mart and never came back. I would've suspected an abduction or a murder if two events hadn't happened previously.

The first thing happened only a few weeks before: Addy randomly disappeared. He was gone one night when my parents and I came home, all from our different workplaces, and no one knew where he could've possibly gone. I haven't heard from him since then.

Then, the other thing was that Trisha's condition finally worsened to the point where she needed constant medical attention, and so her parents had no choice but to put her in the local hospital. Our trio was officially over at that point, but Emi and I both struggled to accept that.

Sighing quietly, I got into my car and slammed the door behind me. It was times like these that I really missed my old truck. I could crank the volume and not worry about breaking anything. But because the truck wasn't "practical" enough for downtown Bloomington, I was forced to trade it in for the piddly, old aqua chevy, no thanks to my mother.

As Koda Kumi's Black Cherry album filled my car, I bit my bottom lip as I started off toward the hospital to visit Trisha. I couldn't help but think of Emi now, and some of our last conversations. Most of them were arguments.

The worst one was after I finally played Final Fantasy X-2, the sequel to Final Fantasy X. She had basically threatened me so many times to play it that I finally gave in. The game was actually not too bad; the battle system was fun and the storyline was intriguing enough to keep my attention. But I wanted to just get through it so Emi would stop harrassing me, so I didn't complete it 100%. I got, like, barely over 60%. Wow, did I get ripped a new one then.

After swearing at me and marching around in a mess, she began to hate on me for "not trying."

"Well, of course I didn't try," I said. "It's a game based on _Yuna's_ feelings."

"But he comes back at the end, you idiot!" she shouted.

"Who? Tidus?" I snorted. "How?"

"If you played the game 100% of the way through, you would know how!" Emi glared at me. "You know what? Never mind. Never mind."

"No, tell me," I insisted. "I want to know. I care more than you do."

That was probably not the best thing to say, but at that point, I wanted to know so badly that I didn't care whose feelings got hurt in the process.

"There's two more endings at the end. If you play the game right, Tidus comes back."

I haven't forgotten that advice yet.

After that little spat, I gave the game back and went back to my sulking. Then I got smart and looked the endings up online, and then I realized that going back to Spira wasn't just a want-it was a necessity.

But it's been a while since I saw those scenes, and no sign of returning to Spira had shown itself. So, in other words, I was still alone, especially since Emi and Addy were gone, and Trisha would be leaving me soon, too.

Don't get me wrong, though. I hadn't given up yet, either. I knew that, if I did things right, I could keep my promise to Tidus and bring him back, hopefully to stay. But even if I got to see him just one more time, that would've made me happier than words could express.

Anyway, soon I had pulled into the totally sketch parking garage near the hospital downtown. It was a decent length of a drive to Indianapolis from Brownsburg, but Koda Kumi's music kept me company.

I had only just stepped out of my car when I noticed a group of shady-looking guys off to my right, standing in the corner. One of them had an unlit cigarette in his mouth.

"Hey, beautiful," the bald one said, nodding at me. I lifted my nose, slamming my car door and locking it behind me as I headed toward the stairs, near where they were standing. This little issue seemed to present itself about every other visit. I just considered it training.

"Hey now, where ya goin'?" Cigarette guy asked me, approaching me. When I didn't respond, he lunged at me to try to grab my arm.

Poor guys. They probably thought they'd caught some helpless little bitch.

Cigarette guy met my fist and flew backward, though still upright and on his feet.

"Aww, the girl's got fight in 'er," Bald guy said, laughing. "Well, boys, we don't go down without a fight, do we?"

"Then this should be fun," I replied, taking off into the stairwell area. Thankfully, the place was empty, so I could throw down without worrying about hurting an innocent civilian.

"C'mere, pretty lady." One of the guys, who was wearing a hat, ran right past me. I grabbed him by the jacket and threw him face-down onto the concrete. He didn't move after that, but bald guy must've heard the tussle, because he came running out to greet me.

"There you are," he growled, running at me, ready to strike. I used his momentum against him, launching him into the handrails and sending him tumbling down the stairs.

"Hey!" Cigarette guy had returned with his other two buddies. They quickly surrounded me, but I didn't feel too threatened yet.

Just moments ago I had been listening to Koda's "Cherry Girl," and the woman-power-themed song seemed more than appropriate for the occasion.

"Otoko mo onna mo kankei nai," I sang, hurling one of the guys over the handrails. "Ima wa onna ga tsuyoi n' dakara~."

The remaining two, cigarette guy and his friend, grabbed both of my arms and pinned them behind my back. As cigarette guy backed off, I took the chance to teach his buddy a lesson.

}{}{}{

Dylan thrusted her leg into the creep behind her, startling him and making him fall to the ground. She quickly freed her arms and started to run, but she felt the guy grab her ankle.

"Okay," she said, taking a step forward with her free leg. Pushing off, Dylan flipped onto her hands, sending the man flying in the air, forcing him to release her ankle as he landed with a thud.

Landing on her feet again, Dylan turned to face the cigarette guy, who had somehow gotten a gun.

"Now things are really getting fun!" she laughed, ducking as he fired at her. Jumping over the unconcious bodies, she hoisted herself over the handrails, hanging there, just waiting for the right moment.

Soon the cigarette man's curiosity had gotten the best of him, and he came over to see if Dylan had bit the dust. Pulling herself up, Dylan met the cigarette man with a toothy, cocky grin, and soon her feet had met his gut, and she was back on the stairs.

"I won't bother calling the cops," she told the men as she walked down to the ground level floor. "You're welcome."


	2. Chapter 2: Alive Again

Chapter 2: Alive Again ( youtube - watch?v=GP9WpnhQskc)

Memo: Okay then! This chapter is kind of sad, but I promise everything happens for a reason~!

}{}{}{

When I walked into the hospital, I was just beginning to break a sweat. I guess all of the adrenaline had finally caught up to me.

Anyway, one of the women sitting at the front desk recognized me-no surprise, seeing as how I came in nearly every other day-and waved me away.

"You know the room," she said, not bothering to look up again at me from her computer screen.

"I do," I assured her, nodding as I walked on without missing a beat in my step.

Despite the fact that Trisha was nineteen at this point, she was still in a children's hospital, mostly because her problems started when she was younger, and so the same medical personnel had been working with her since that point on, and it was too much of a pain to change them around.

It was like a strange little world of its own, that hospital. It was almost like the kids there didn't know that they actually had anything wrong with them. It was just what they were used to. Their own world.

Trisha's room had a different feeling to it. It wasn't decorated with handmade cards or stuffed animals. The only sign that someone wished her well was a single bouquet and a balloon. Those were from me.

"Hey, Dylan," Trisha's mom said when I entered the room. Trisha glanced up at me, smiled weakly, and began to type. Something in her brain had gone even more trippy, and she lost the ability to use her vocal chords. Luckily, the doctors had seen it coming, so they had recorded Trisha's voice saying different words, and then when Trisha typed in the words and hit enter, the computer would read the words in her voice.

"Dylan, I'm so glad you're here," her computerized voice told me.

"Why? What's up?" I asked, walking over to her. Her hair had gotten the longest it had ever been; usually it never got past her shoulders. It looked pretty on her, but I was afraid to compliment her in case she got mad. Trisha never took compliments like a normal person

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Trisha glanced at her mom, who looked just as confused as I felt. "Mom, can you move so you can't see the screen?"

Hesitating, her mom didn't move at first. But when she caught the confused expression on my face, she must've figured it really was something important, if _I_ didn't know what was going on. Sighing, she got up out of the chair and walked over to the window, folding her arms across her chest.

To my surprise, Trisha clicked the mute button on the computer and motioned with her eyes for me to sit next to her on her bed.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be so mysterious," she typed. I watched the words appear on the screen, a little suspicious. "I just wish I had more time."

"...May I?" I asked her, gesturing to the computer keyboard. She nodded, and so I started typing away.

"What do you mean? What's so important that your mom can't hear?"

"Well, it's not so much that she can't hear it... I just don't feel like she _needs_ to, y'know? She has enough to worry about."

"Very true, amiga," I typed, glancing at her mom. I remember thinking that the dark circles under her pale eyes got worse every time I saw her.

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I think Emi disappearing is related to your brother's disappearance."

"...So I'm not the only one who thinks that."

"Nope. And I think they're not even anywhere anyone can reach them."

My heart jumped. "You don't mean..."

"Spira."

"But how? How could they get there, and I can't?"

"I dunno, but that's just my hunch."

I could tell she wanted to say more, but she didn't, and it bothered me.

"You have to go back there," she then wrote. "You belong there. They need you there."

"They?"

"YRP."

Those three letters made my heart thud in anticipation. I wanted to add "D" onto it so badly, because that meant not only would I be back in Spira, but I would also be on a hunt for Tidus-officially.

"...You know..."

I jumped at the sound of Trisha's voice; she had apparently turned the volume back on.

"You know..."

I looked at the screen, and the words "you know" were not there. My gaze shifted to Trisha's pale face, her sunken eyes. She looked beyond pained.

"You know...how...you always...used to correct me...on...'if' and 'when'?" she gasped, her voice barely audible. I nodded, hesitating to smile. "I'd say, 'if I get section leader.' ...You'd say, _'when_ you get section leader.' And...you were...always right. But...you...can't be right...this time."

Trisha sat upright; by this point both me and her mother were staring at her intently. If she had mustered enough strength to do this, then it would have to be something very, very important.

"When...I die..."

"If you die," I corrected her, tears springing to my eyes.

"_When_ I die...my mom will...send you an...email. It's...just for you. ...Do you...get my drift?"

"It's been gotten," I replied, and Trisha smiled, sinking back into the mattress.

"It's supposed to rain tonight," she typed into the computer.

"Yeah, I know," I said, my stomach in knots. Anything else she said would mean nothing. She seemed to recognize that.

"...You're the best friend I've ever had, Dylan. Thanks."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

}{}{}{

The rest of the day was uneventful for the Samuels' until around dinnertime. Dylan was occupied with setting the table, while her father cooked and her mother sorted laundry. All of three of them did what they needed to do in silence.

Summer was supposed to be the best time of the year, what with both kids home and more daylight to do things. But with Addison gone and no close friends, Dylan was holed up at home, restless beyond measure.

"Your favorite," her father said, placing a plate of ravioli in front of Dylan as she set out forks. It wasn't her favorite; nachos were. But the gesture was meant out of kindness, so Dylan mustered up a smile and nodded.

"Thanks," she murmured, immediately staring back at the table. She didn't have the fight in her to point out his mistake.

"Dylan, what's this?" Dylan lifted her head to face her mom, who was holding a pair of Dylan's jeans in her arms.

"What's what?"

"This stain on your pant leg. Is this blood?"

Dylan stifled a laugh. That was the leftovers from a parking garage fight, different from the one earlier in the day.

"I don't even know what you're talking about, Mother," Dylan finally replied, rolling her eyes.

"It IS blood! From what?"

Dylan started to answer with a perfectly good excuse-a nosebleed-when the phone rang, saving her from the argument.

"Oh, good. This had better be my work. They're supposed to call me today." Dylan's mom dropped the jeans and rushed to the phone. "Hello? ...Oh...yeah, yeah, she's right here."

"It's for me?" Dylan asked, taking the phone from her mother. "Hello?"

"Dylan? ...This is Trisha's mom."

Every ounce of good vibes Dylan might've had from the amusing bloodstain was now completely gone.

"Dylan... Dylan I'm so sorry. Trisha left us just a few minutes ago. ...She's gone."

The last two words echoed in Dylan's head for a moment before the reality of the situation finally set in. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes, willing tears not to fall.

"...Thank you for calling me," she finally whispered.

"I'll...send you that email she told me to send."

"Yeah...yeah..."

"I'm sorry, Dylan."

"...Thanks. Me too."

Without another word, Dylan quietly hung up the phone, biting her lip again.

"Who was it?" her dad asked.

"Dylan? What's going on?"

"...Trisha died."

"Oh, honey-"

"No, don't be like that." Grimacing, Dylan clenched her fists, then relaxed them again, too upset to fight. "Whatever. I'm...not hungry anymore."

"Dylan..."

Ignoring her parents' concerned murmuring, Dylan stomped out of the kitchen, down the hallway, and sprinted upstairs to her room, slamming the door behind her. With a huge gasp, she locked the door behind her, then burst into tears and fell to the floor.

"Why her?" she sobbed, her tears falling from her cheeks onto the carpet. "My best friend..."

It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise for her, but her heart still felt so empty. She literally had no one left to help her. Addy was gone, Emi was gone, and now Trisha was definitely gone-and that's not even counting all the people in Spira. She was losing too much and gaining nothing.

}{}{}{

It took me a couple of hours to get through the part with straight raw emotion, and then I remembered that I had at least one email waiting for me in my inbox. Getting up from the floor, I crawled over to my bed, where my laptop was sitting, dormant.

"C'mon, Trisha's mom," I mouthed, finally signing into my good old yahoo account. There was, in fact, a message there. Only one. But it was the one I needed. (I can honestly say I've never been so excited to only have one new email in my inbox.)

_Hey Dylan. I hate the circumstances you're reading this under, but I know this will help you. It's for your eyes only, you know. My mother didn't read it, and I'll be saving it right after typing it up. This is, to say the least, confidential._

_ Anyway, earlier I mentioned to you that I thought Emi and Addison might be in Spira. I should just say...they are. I know they must be. _

_ Both your brother and Em were looking for a way into Spira, but they both had different reasons. Addison kept telling me that he wanted to see you back there again, and that you needed to go back-both reasons I agreed with. He also mentioned a couple of times that he was going to help you find a way into Spira no matter what. I think he found it._

_ Em, on the other hand, wanted to get into Spira because she wanted to go see it for herself. She was...probably still is...super jealous of your little adventure, and she wanted to see if it was possible for anyone-not just you-to get in. It must be._

_Then, after thinking about this for a while, I realized that the reason they haven't come back is because they can't. They're literally just stuck there. I strongly believe you are the only person in the universe that can go back and forth between Spira and Earth. Everyone else just gets stuck in one place until you come along and change it. _

_ Well...maybe you're not the _only _one. The unsent and the dead might be that way, too. Auron came to you the first time, didn't he?_

_ Anyway, I know you'll find a way back there soon. You're meant to be there; you have a connection no one else can understand...not even me! ;D _

_I wish I could be there with you and Emi. But everything happens for a reason. You're always going to be the best friend I ever had. I remember when I moved to Brownsburg, and I was so scared, haha. You just turned around and randomly started talking to me. I don't think Em would've ever done that for me or anyone else. So...thanks. _

_ good luck 3_

_ Trisha_

_PS: From now on, when it storms, I'll watch from Heaven and you can watch from Spira. :)_

"Why _her_?" I repeated for the millionth time that night. Trisha knew more than I did all along.

To my surprise, I was startled when I heard a loud clap of thunder. It was storming; how could I have missed that? When was the last time I had actually sat down and enjoyed a storm?

_A long time_, I realized, walking over to my windowseat. Frustrated, I tried to lift the window, but the relatively new paint job kept it sealed.

But by all the power vested in me, I was going to open that stupid window. It took a lot of huffing and puffing, but finally the seal cracked, and the window shot up. Just one thing stood between me and the rain: the screen. That, though, was nothing.

My foot collided with the mesh and burst through in a matter of milliseconds, so fast it was unreal. I could feel the wind whipping rain into my room and onto my face. I closed my eyes, and for the first time all evening, I smiled.

That smile quickly faded when I realized that I was not watching this storm from Spira; I was still on Earth. Soon I wore a frown, and I kept my eyes shut, knowing that if they opened, tears would follow.

The power suddenly shut off, but I didn't mind. There was still a little bit of light reflecting onto my eyelids, which made me curious enough to finally open my eyes.

It was just like the last time, except there was only one pyrefly. Anyone else might've thought it just to be a big lightning bug, but I'd know that warmth anywhere.

"...You're here?" I breathed as the pyrefly bounced in front of me. "...I can go back, can't I?" More eager bouncing. "...Give me five minutes."

Stumbling into my darkened room, I dove into my closet, pulling out every bit of gear I had, every weapon, any piece of clothing that I could fight easily in.

Something thudded to my floor, and I whipped my rain-soaked face around to see Tidus' pyrefly hovering over one of my music books.

"Shh!" I shushed him, quickly stripping off my pants and slipping on leggings. After I had changed, I had the sudden realization that I had just undressed myself in front of Tidus...

Anyway, the one thing left to grab was his glove, and soon I was ready to go, with seconds to spare in my five minute time slot.

Tidus floated outside into the rain, beckoning me to join him.

"...I believe," I told him, preparing to step out of the window.

Suddenly my bedroom door was flung open, and my mother was standing there with a flashlight.

"Dylan?" she cried. I turned back to look at her briefly before stepping outside and out of sight.


	3. Chapter 3: What Can I Do For You

Chapter 3: What Can I Do For You (youtube - watch?v=gDtE4drYL_U**)**

Memo: Woohoo! It feels like I've been waiting forever! I'm sure Dylan's felt that way, too. XP Anywho, let's get started, picking right up where we left off!

FLASHBACK START

"Hey, Em-"

"Have you finally started playing it?" Emi said, her voice cracking.

"What, you mean Final Fantasy X-2? Yup."

"Do you like it?"

"I'm five minutes in, and I'm already confused beyond hell. Why is Yuna a singer? That is the lamest plot device...ever."

"It'll make sense later on."

Dylan sighed, pausing the game. "I can't believe Kuu got her fame from _this_."

"Well...I do agree her versions of the songs are much better."

"Much is an understatement. Jade sucks."

Emi let out a laugh, but it sounded almost forced, cold.

"You are by far the most pessimistic person I know. Just play the game."

FLASHBACK END

Had I not played either game, I would've taken Luca to be a circus town, what with the bright colors and the hordes of people. But even with it being my first time in the city, I knew exactly where I had to go and what I had to do.

"You still here?" I wondered out loud, looking for the pyrefly that brought me back here. It was gone, but I knew I couldn't go looking for it just yet.

After all, I had a party to crash.

I knew three things for sure about this mission: one, I could not be seen by Yuna, Rikku, or Paine just yet. Two, I'd need all of my strength and weaponry to take down all these guards. Three, I actually wanted to watch part of the concert if I could manage it in between sneaking around and throwing down.

There was a huge crowd standing outside of all of the stadium's doors; every entrance was blocked by impatient Yuna fans. If I wanted in early, I'd have to be a little bit...drastic.

Running around to the main stadium entrance, I saw a flash of tan and red, and I ducked behind a crate. Yuna was there, still stuck in her moogle costume. She had one balloon left in her hand, meaning she had almost sold enough to get back into the action.

As soon as she was out of sight, I hopped back up and sprinted around to the front, pushing angry people aside in an effort to make my way to the front of the pack.

"Hey, whaddya think you're doing?" some guy yelled at me.

"Making things interesting!" I called out to him, not knowing where to look in the sea of fans.

Finally, when I thought my patience would completely wear down, I was standing right in front of one of the guards.

"What are you doing?" he asked me. I smiled.

"Let me in," I insisted. He laughed, sounding genuinely amused.

"You came all the way up here to say that?"

"Yep..."

Before he could laugh at me again, my fist made its way straight into his gut. The guard doubled over, falling face first onto the platform.

"...And also to do that," I told him, stepping over his body to the doors.

"Hey, you!"

"Whoops," I whispered, watching as two more guards came on both sides of me. Still, they were just as easily thwarted as the first, and soon I had my hands on the doors.

"BE FREE, YUNA FANS! FREE!" I shouted, flinging open the doors. I could feel all those people rushing past me, cheering. Some of them even stopped to congratulate or thank me.

"All in a day's work," I replied with a grin.

Soon everyone had filed into the seating area, and I was the only one left standing around. I could hear everyone cheering and screaming their lungs out. Too bad they weren't going to actually see Yuna. Instead they had all paid to see that whore, Leblanc.

"Girl!"

I whipped myself around to see five guards running my way.

"I have a name!" I shouted, placing my hands on my hips, readying myself to grab any weapons if necessary. But if these guys were as easy as the previous encounter, life would be swell.

It seemed that way at first. The first guard charged, and all I had to do was duck, and he landed with a loud thud on the floor.

But then more and more guards kept coming, so I just had to keep working harder and harder.

_What is a good way to get rid of these guys more than one at a time_? I asked myself, thinking back to all those parking garage scuffles. _Ah, yes_.

I'm really glad I finished karate. Once you get past black belt, you learn the fun stuff.

Placing my feet around a guard's neck, I flipped him over, throwing him into three other guards. All four of them lay silent on the ground.

Some of the guards got spooked and ran off, while others tried to fight back. But, being me, I handled it well and won fairly.

"Suck on this, please," I told them, showing off my middle fingers and running toward the arena. Finally, after what felt like hours, but only lasted a couple of minutes, I burst into the audience, practically throwing myself into the balcony railing. Now, as my reward, I could enjoy the show. Even if it wasn't Yuna singing, it was still pretty neat.

Honestly, it brought me back to the days in high school...all those talent shows. We finally won my senior year. I truly missed performing. Maybe being with Yuna would bring the opportunity around again.

"You there!"

The song was about halfway over at this point, and I was really irritated that someone was annoying me. I turned to see a guard that I had somehow missed earlier.

"All audience members are required to stay in their seating area during the performance!" he barked. I raised an eyebrow, patience growing thin.

"Make me," I dared him.

"Where is your seat? Show me your ticket!"

"Only if you insist!"

Reaching out to him, I snatched the guard's collar and hurled him over the banister. People around me kept giving me funny looks, so I thought the best thing would be to run. I had seen some of the concert, at least, so it would be in my best interest to leave.

}{}{}{

_It's so hot_, Yuna kept thinking as she trotted around Luca, near the Mi'ihen Highroad. _And these little kids won't leave me alone! How is this silly thing supposed to help us again_...?

Word of Yuna's concert was everywhere, and yet Yuna herself was standing amongst them, wearing the most ridiculous costume possible: a moogle suit.

"You look cute!" Rikku had exclaimed, and so Brother had given the orders: catch the dressphere thief, and keep Yuna in disguise wearing, of course, the moogle suit.

So there she was, wandering around in the awkward "prized dressphere," simply lying in wait.

"Oh, hurry up," Yuna muttered out loud, slumping over.

"You, get over here!"

Yuna looked up to see a man in a uniform staring at her, looking irritated.

"Huh?" she gasped, trotting over to him.

"You're here to promote the concert, right?" he asked her. Yuna frowned.

"Me?" Yuna gestured to herself. "No, there must be some mistake."

"Thanks!" The salesman handed Yuna a handful of balloons. "And, hey-don't screw up."

As the man walked away, Yuna slumped again, letting out a frustrated sigh.

_Did I do it because I couldn't turn him down, or because the conversation was over before I had the chance_? she asked herself, looking around the plaza. Other than a little kid who already had a balloon, each person in the plaza could be given a balloon.

Suddenly, like someone had given a command, everyone in the plaza started moving around, coming and going.

_No! This is so ridiculous_! Yuna thought as she approached a man with balloon.

"Do I seriously look like someone who wants a balloon?" he said, giving Yuna an icy stare. She backed off, huffing a quiet sigh.

_Maybe it will be easier if I go outside of the plaza_, she thought, waddling off toward the stadium entrance.

As she began to pass out balloons, she noticed a young woman in green and brown clothing, dressed almost like a warrior. She was certainly equipped like one, minus a sword of Paine's caliber. To Yuna, she looked slightly familiar, but just as soon as she had appeared, she vanished.

Shrugging it off, Yuna ran around, only one balloon left to hand out. She would've given it to that girl had she not disappeared.

Either way, the last balloon was handed out, and soon Yuna had returned to the stadium entrance in the plaza.

"Y, R, P...in position," Yuna heard Rikku's voice come through. "It's showtime, girls."

"It's starting!" Yuna realized, running toward the front entrance. Only one guard was there when arrived...at least, one conscious guard. Three other guards were lying on the top step, completely ko'd.

"Hold it!" the guard snapped, looking at Yuna. "The concert's sold out. You can't go in."

"I can't?" Yuna gasped, slumping. _Have I seriously just run all this way for nothing_?

"Definitely not. Go on, get out of here."

"Hey, we've got some gatecrashers," another guard said, appearing.

"Must be those sphere hunters!" the first guard exclaimed. Suddenly the two reverted into their true form: two of Leblanc's goons.

"Let's move!" the first said.

"Yes, sir!"

"Oh, no!" Yuna whispered as they ran off. _I still haven't heard from Rikku or Paine_...

Yuna paused, taking a better look at the unconcious guards.

"Did they do this?" she asked. "I hope they're okay..."

_I've got to help them_! Yuna decided, running off. _But first, I've got to get out of this outfit_!


	4. Chapter 4:  I Can Hear You

Chapter 4: I Can Hear You (youtube - watch?v=SSa60HGvoI0)

Memo: Now for the fun stuff! If you've played this game, you'll really enjoy this story from here out. If you haven't, well...you'll still enjoy it, but some things won't be as interesting. :\ My recommendation? Play the game-or at least read the plot summary on wikipedia or something~. Enjoy!

FLASHBACK START

"Yunie!"

Yuna turned at the sound of her cousin's voice. She'd know it anywhere.

"Visiting me again already?" she asked the blonde, smiling. Rikku, however, seemed a little anxious. Definitely not her usual self.

"Yunie, I have to show you something!" Rikku exclaimed, trotting over to Yuna. Her emerald eyes were mixed with excitement and confusion.

"What? What is it?"

"I can't explain it! You have to watch it!" the blonde insisted, pulling Yuna toward the Celsius, which was hovering nearby.

"But I can't just leave!" Digging her heels in the ground, Yuna frowned. "I can't just leave."

"Yunie, this is so important!" Rikku's voice cracked. "Yunie...I think we found...a sphere of _him_."

Yuna's heart nearly skipped a beat.

"...Really?" Rikku nodded furiously. "...Of him? But how...how can it be?"

"Yunie, I don't know. But you need to see this. There's some things Paine and I don't understand."

"...I don't understand, either."

Hanging her head, Yuna squinted at the dirt beneath her feet. Two years ago, she had saved the world from Sin, but she had lost people who were very dear to her. Was it really possible to bring them back?

"...I'll give it a chance. I...I want answers, and I'll do what it takes," she finally told Rikku, who let out a sound that was a mix between a gasp and a relieved sigh. Smiling, the blonde took Yuna's arm again, dragging her along.

"Then let's go, Yunie! ...Welcome to the Gullwings!"

FLASHBACK END

"Y, R, P, in position," Rikku whispered into her transmittor. A deviant smile curled her lips. "It's showtime, girls."

Running off after Paine, Rikku felt the floor beneath her rumble a little, meaning the show was getting started. Any other time, Rikku would already be in the crowd, cheering Yuna on. But seeing as how this was their arch rival, there was no real rush.

Still, it was a free concert, so the blonde ducked into one of the doors and bounded down the stairs to the front row of the section, leaning against the balcony. She pulled out her Al Bhed binoculars and watched as Leblanc began to sing.

"What can I do for you? What can I do for you? What can I do for you? I can hear you..."

People around Rikku were clapping and cheering, but Rikku just enjoyed the music while waiting for a good chance to take the imposter down.

"Far beyond the hazy borders of my heart, I can see a place that's something like this," Leblanc sang. "Every now and then I don't know what to do, but still I know that I can never come back."

As Rikku bounced to the beat, she felt someone tap her shoulder.

"All the things I've seen in those hazy dreams can't compare to what I'm seeing now."

"Hnn?" she grunted as she turned around. One of the guards was standing there, hitting his nightstick into his palm. Smirking, Rikku faced the guard, trying not to laugh.

"Everything's so different that it brings me to my knees~!"

Rearing back, Rikku let out a cry and slammed her fist into the guard's face, chest, and stomach, knocking him backward off of his feet.

"And though I know the world of real emotion has surrounded me, I won't give into it..."

Putting her hands on her hips, Rikku smirked as she stood over the unconcious guard, triumphant. Just then, a musician on a hoverboard passed by.

"Now I know that forward is the only way my heart can go. I hear your voice calling out to me. You'll never be alone."

"Mind if I borrow this?" Rikku called out, pulling the guitarist off and throwing him onto the stairs. "Thanks bunches!"

Meanwhile, a couple levels above, Paine had staked out her spot, watching from the back part of the section.

"What can I do for you? What can I do for you? What can I do for you? What can I do for you? I can hear you."

Paine had to hand it to Leblanc: she was putting on a pretty entertaining show. But theft was theft. The dressphere was the Gullwings', no buts about it.

"And if I find the real world of emotion has surrounded me and I can't go on, you are there..."

"Hey you!"

Paine turned to see a guard at the bottom of the stairs, pointing his nightstick at her.

"...The moment that I close my eyes to comfort me..."

Jumping into the air, Paine let loose a couple of kicks, smashing her foot into the guard's face. He went flying back down the stairs.

"We are connected for all of time. I'll never be..."

Smiling, obviously pleased with herself, Paine jumped onto the railing and slid down, meeting Rikku at the bottom. The blonde had snagged a hovercraft.

"And though I know the world of real emotion has surrounded me, I won't give into it..."

Suddenly, just as Paine began to climb aboard, a guard came flying down, landing on the balcony edge one level below them. It appeared as though he'd been thrown down there.

"Now I know that forward is the only way my heart can go..."

Pulling Paine on, Rikku guided the hovercraft straight up just in time to see a figure disappear behind a door. It was a female, judging by the hair length. Rikku looked at Paine and shrugged. They were both thinking the same thing: whoever it was...was on _their_ side.

"I hear your voice calling out to me. You'll never be alone."

Refocusing on the task at hand, Rikku and Paine flew around the stage, waiting for the song to end so they could attack.

"What can I do for you? What can I do for you? What can I do for you? I can hear you. I can hear you..."

Before long, Rikku and Paine were sprinting through the docks of Luca, running after Leblanc and trying to dodge her goons.

"Hold still!" Rikku called out to her, stopping for a moment to catch her breath. Suddenly a blur of tan caught her eye. Yuna...

"Yunie~," the blonde whispered as she tapped Yuna's shoulder. Looking up at her, Yuna grabbed her arm, curing her. "Thanks. See you in a bit."

Running back out to the docks, Rikku followed Paine, trailing behind the impostor. They were getting worn out before the fight had even started.

"Hey, you run too fast!" Rikku whined, stopping once again. Paine was there with her this time.

"You're too slow, little girl." A man with two guns walked over. His name was Logos, and he was only one of the two main henchmen.

"Show's over! Bwahaha!" Ormi, the second head goon, appeared soon after. He carried with him a giant shield that doubled as a disk.

"Yeowch," Rikku said, cringing.

"This way," Paine said, pulling Rikku's arm. The two girls began to run again, but it didn't take long for the two men to catch back up.

But before anyone could do anything, gunshots came from behind the goons. They jumped in surprise as Yuna herself leapt over them, twirling around and firing.

"Now we can have some _real_ fun!" Rikku cried, hi-fiving Yuna. The brunette smiled, blowing the smoke from her guns.

"You betcha. YRP! Time to party!"

Between the three girls, Logos and Ormi had no real chance. One after the other, they fell on their backsides, defeated.

"That's quite enough sniveling, boys."

YRP turned to see Leblanc herself strolling over, still wearing her Yuna disguise.

"Persistent, aren't you?" she sneered.

"My grid," Yuna growled.

"You give us back Yunie's Garment Grid right now!" Rikku exclaimed, frowning.

"Didn't you girls ever learn to share?" Leblanc teased them.

"Give it back," Yuna insisted, getting angrier and angrier.

"Very well, it's yours."

In a dazzling display of lights, Leblanc returned to her former self, tossing Yuna the grid sphere.

"But it won't be yours for long, loves!" Leblanc laughed as Ormi and Logos got up for another round.

"Let's get this over with," Paine grumbled, pulling out her giant sword.

"Okay!"

All six froze at the sound of the additional voice. Suddenly a boomerang came whirling from above, whacking Logos and Ormi both, sending them both flying onto the ground.

"What the-"

Just as Leblanc turned, a haze of green and brown came down on top of her, knocking her flat on her face.

_It's that girl I saw earlier_, Yuna realized, gasping as she watched the girl silently stand upright, her dark brown hair covering her face. Then she perked up, lifting her eyes to the three of them. She smiled brightly.

"Hey!" she said in a sing-songy voice. "Long time, no see, huh?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

Paine really had no idea what this girl was talking about. As for Yuna and Rikku-well, it took a moment of getting rid of the shock.

When Rikku opened her mouth, all that came out was a high-pitched scream. She slapped her hands over her face to muffle it.

"Is...are you...?" Yuna couldn't complete a sentence. Was it really _her_? And if it was, could the others be brought back, too?

"Seriously, who are you?" Paine asked.

"DYLAN!" Rikku shrieked, throwing herself at the brunette. "IT'S REALLY YOU~!"

}{}{}{

"Yes, it's really me," I assured Rikku as we hugged. I could barely believe it too. I was finally back where I really belonged. Back with my friends.

"I...I can't believe it!" Yuna exclaimed, her different colored eyes wide. "You look so different!"

"I do?"

"You do!" Rikku agreed, pushing me away to look at me. "You look so much older, but in a good way! And you look a lot prettier! Not that you weren't already! Now you're just a knock-out!"

Sticking out her tongue, Rikku winked, and I did the same back. I didn't realize how much I had missed her until this point.

"Paine, this is Dylan. She traveled with us before," Yuna explained, grinning.

"S'up," we both said in unison.

"You guys'll get along GREAT!" Rikku practically screamed.

"Where have you been all this time?" Yuna asked me. I frowned, knowing what she meant.

"My home. I left just last night."

"How'd you find the way back?" Rikku asked. I smirked.

"Luck," I replied. Which was somewhat true. Somewhat.

It was silent for a moment, and suddenly I felt like crying. It seemed like AGES since I had been back in Spira. Back with Yuna and Rikku. I never thought I'd be so happy to see Yuna, someone I'd considered my rival before. Now I felt like baking the lady a cake.

"So now what're you gonna do?" Rikku asked me.

"I dunno," I said, waiting for the invitation.

"Be a Gullwing," Yuna said suddenly. It wasn't an invitation; it was a command. I was kind of surprised. Then again, I was pretty kick-ass.

"Okay," I replied.

"You'll really do it!" Rikku cried, dancing around in front of me.

"Why wouldn't I?" I laughed.

"Brother's in charge," all three said in unison.

"..." Sighing, I folded my arms across my chest. "Well, we'll see how long that lasts when I get there."

"I like this girl," Paine said to Yuna, turning around and walking down the dock.

"Great!" Yuna said, clapping her hands together. "It'll be so fun to have you back, Dylan!"

"Yeah, just like old times!" Rikku agreed, linking arms with me and walking toward Paine.

"Sure! But, uhm, you'll have to teach me how to use the dresspheres."

"You know about them?" Paine asked me.

"You're still all-knowing?" Rikku teased. I nodded, trying to ignore the demanding look Yuna had suddenly shot my way. I knew exactly what she was thinking, but this time it was my turn.

I had played the game for her last time. This time, I was in it for me.

"Well, I'll teach you!" Rikku said, grinning. "Welcome to the Gullwings!"

"Guuuuuullwiiiiiiings!"

The four of us looked up to see a giant, hot-pink airship floating up above us.

"That's another thing." I glanced at Yuna. "You might as well get used to being listened to all the time."

"Brother?" I asked. Paine rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Ready to board, girls?" I heard Buddy's voice say through a speaker.

"We sure are!" Yuna called back up.

"Wait til you see who we've got with us!" Rikku added.


	5. Chapter 5: Journey Start!

Chapter 5: Journey Start!

Memo: Okay, I forgot to mention this in the beginning, but sometimes the flashbacks will be stuff I simply skipped over because it's not entirely important or it was an awkward detail to put back in. So sometimes the flashbacks will be moments from FFX-2, while other times it will be from the past two years. Understood? Mmkay~ Then let's get going.

FLASHBACK START

"Hey, Yunie," Rikku said, looking at Yuna and grinning. "Now that we have your grid back, show us how it's done!"

"Yeah, I wanna see!" Dylan added, matching Rikku's enthusiastic grid. Yuna blushed a little.

"This is so embarrassing," she mumbled, changing outfits to the songstress dress.

"Is it even any good?" Paine asked, unimpressed.

Before she could reply, Yuna suddenly started dancing.

"Whoa!" she cried. For some reason, she could no longer control her movements. She was just dancing around.

_What is going on_? Yuna wondered, feeling overjoyed for no real reason. _Why am I so happy_?

"Cute," Paine muttered, walking toward the Celsius, which had lowered its door for the group.

"That was weird," Yuna said, changing back to her gunner dressphere.

"What was?" Rikku asked, cocking her head like a curious puppy.

Yuna didn't reply at first.

"It's nothing!" she finally exclaimed, smiling. "C'mon, let's go! Dylan, are you coming?"

"Sure am!"

FLASHBACK END

"You sure looked like you were enjoying yourself," Rikku was saying as she and Yuna boarded the Celsius, followed by Dylan.

"I was," Yuna admitted. "It felt like some other person's excitement just took over."

"That can happen when you use the Garment Grid." Shinra, the Gullwings' resident know-it-all, popped up from behind his chair. "The emotions of the person recorded in the sphere pass to the user."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Rikku asked, frowning a little.

"I can't really say," Shinra replied, shaking his head. Dylan noted with amusement that his whole body moved, since he was so small.

"But it's your invention!" Buddy appeared, sporting goggles and buzzcut hair. He was dark-skinned, automatically labeling him as an Al Bhed.

"I'm just a kid."

"Hold up! Hold up! Hold up!"

Everyone turned to see Brother marching down from the pilot's seat. He put his hands on his hips, frowning. His gaze landed on Dylan.

"Who is this?" he asked, looking between Rikku and Paine and Yuna.

"Don't ask me," Paine replied, crossing her arms.

"It's me, Dylan," Dylan answered for herself, taking a step forward. "I was with you last time! Don't you remember me?"

Brother looked confused.

"E cbayg Al Bhed, nasaspan? (I speak Al Bhed, remember?)" she shouted, stomping her foot.

Finally, a glimmer of recognition crossed Brother's face.

"You're the loud one from another planet!" he finally exclaimed.

"Not quite what I had hoped for, but yes, that sums it up," Dylan replied, scowling.

"She's gonna be one of us now!" Rikku cried, bouncing on her toes.

"Hmph! Fine by me! The more of us, the more spheres for us!"

"Welcome aboard," Buddy said, smiling. "I'm Buddy, and that's Shinra."

Dylan smiled back. "Thanks for the introductions, but I already knew who you were."

"Oh, that reminds me," Yuna said suddenly, looking at Dylan. "I want you to watch a sphere. I need you to tell me something about it."

Dylan hesitated; she could tell where this was going.

"You said last time you were here, you knew everything about what was going to happen," Yuna continued. "Is that true for this time as well?"

"...Sort of," Dylan admitted after a pause.

"Sort of...?"

"Show me the sphere, and then I'll explain."

}{}{}{

I've seen the sphere more than once, but it was still startling to see how much Shuyin resembled Tidus. Not only his voice, but his mannerisms.

"Is it him?" Yuna asked me as we watched Shuyin shout at the guards.

"...No," I replied at last, unforgivingly blunt. But what else was I supposed to say?

"It's not?" Rikku repeated, surprised.

"No, it's not him." Suddenly I realized that, by admitting it wasn't Tidus, I might potentially break up the Gullwings. Not a good idea.

"But!" I jumped to my feet, startling everyone, including Paine.

"But what?" Rikku and Yuna said, jumping up as well.

"...It's still important that you find out who this is," I finally declared. "He's not Tidus, but they're connected. And it's really important that you find out who he is."

"What is his name?" Rikku asked.

"Classified." I winked; she knew what I meant.

"No! Tell us!"

Shocked, I turned to see Yuna standing there, her fists clenched. She looked pissed, and she was looking right at me.

"Tell me who he is! I want to know!" Yuna cried. "I'm tired of how you can never tell us anything!"

"Yunie..." Rikku backed off, leaving me and Yuna standing there in a ball of tension.

"Look, Yuna," I said, sighing, "I know you miss him. I know you want to bring him back. I know that's why you joined the Gullwings in the first place. But you have to understand-this time, it's different."

I approached her, putting my hands gently on her skinny shoulders.

"If you want to bring him back, the best advice I can give you is this: do everything."

Yuna looked at me with a confused stare, her anger fading.

"If you see someone in trouble, help them," I began to explain. "If someone asks for advice, give it to them. If a town needs purging, purge it. Everything you do will bring you closer to him. Every action is a clue. When I played the game for this story, I didn't do anything but the bare minimum. He didn't come back. But my friend, Emi, said that if you completed everything, he'd return. To stay."

"...How do you know you can trust what she said?" Yuna asked, wary.

"Because I looked it up so many times that I know it must be true."

"..." Yuna looked away, looking discouraged already.

"You saved Spira before. They're going to need your help again," I said, shaking her once. "If you help them, and you do it right, your reward is his return. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"...Yes," Yuna said.

"I can help you."

"Yes."

That was really mean of me to say. The first time I had come to Zanarkand, I really had helped Yuna. This time, though, we were rivals. She didn't even know it. She never would until it was too late.

The only clue was on the back of my neck, right under my hairline: a tattoo of Tidus' symbol, which was also Jecht's symbol, which Yuna also had on her own clothing. It's like we were born to be rivals.

}{}{}{

Suddenly, shattering the silence, an alarm sounded from the front of the ship.

"Ehlusehk tydy! Gullwings, du ouin cdydeuhc! (Incoming data! Gullwings, to your stations!)" Brother shouted, hopping back over to the pilot's seat.

Everyone scattered. Paine was the only one who didn't move. Shinra hopped into his chair, Rikku ran to the co-pilot spot, and Buddy returned to the navigation panel. Dylan wandered off, probably to explore the ship.

"Having fun?" Rikku asked when Yuna approached her.

"You bet!" Yuna answered honestly.

_It all began when I saw this sphere of you_, Yuna realized. _At least, it looked like you. I couldn't say for sure. I thought I might find more spheres like it if I joined the Gullwings. So I did. Oh, in case you're wondering, the Gullwings are sphere hunters, and sphere hunters are, well... This! We fly all over Spira. I'm really enjoying myself_.

"Glad to hear it," Rikku replied, smiling. "For a while there, I was starting to feel like a kidnapper."

Yuna giggled quietly. "Don't be silly!"

"Cbrana fyja yhymocec lusbmada! (Sphere wave analysis complete!)" Buddy soon cried. Yuna immediately walked over to him.

"Treasure sphere waves!" Buddy told her. "They're coming from those ruins they found at Gagazet."

"All right!" Rikku cried, jumping out of her seat.

"Haqd cdub: Gagazet! (Next stop: Gagazet!)" Brother declared, setting the course.

}{}{}{

As I stood alone on the deck of the Celsius, I breathed in deeply. This may sound weird, but Spira smelled the same as I remembered in dreams. The air felt the same-cool and fresh. Everything about it was far superior to Earth, especially when observed from hundreds of feet in the air.

Almost out of habit, I started humming Hymn of the Fayth. That song was probably long since abandoned by now, but I still loved it. And besides, the fayth definitely still existed.

As if to confirm that thought, I felt a sudden chill-not from sudden cold, but from sudden warmth, and soon a little pyrefly had floated out in front of me.

"You're here again?" I asked him as he got up in my face. "What am I saying? You're always here."

He floated up and around my head. I could hear the sounds all pyreflies made: sounds of the wailing dead.

"You know...I've never been to the Farplane," I told him. "Should I go?"

The pyrefly bobbed up and down...like he was nodding.

"Then you're going to be my excuse for going, okay?"

I smiled, closing my eyes, feeling the familiar warmth spread through my body.

"I'm not alone anymore. You're here."

When I opened my eyes, the pyrefly was still in front of me, like he was looking at me now.

"I'll find a way to bring you back. I promise." I sighed, glancing away for a moment. "I feel bad to manipulate Yuna, but...she's the key to getting you back. So I'll...I'll do what I have to."

When I looked back, the pyrefly was gone.

_Were you really there to begin with_? I wondered, walking back toward the elevator.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: What Was Supposed to Be Endless

Memo: Okay! Now we're getting into the real storyline! Yay for structured chapters...? lol Anyway, I hope you are enjoying it so far, and if you're not, thanks for at least sticking with it. Sorry the updates are slow-I have midterms right now. ;_;

FLASHBACK START

_This is our last chance ever_, Dylan realized, looking out into the dark audience. The stage lights were blinding, but somehow that was more comforting than ever. It was their last talent show, and she and Emi and Trisha went out with such a bang that if they didn't win, Emi wanted to sue the school.

"Now for the results, my people!" Jake, the school's beloved MC, shouted into the microphone. Feedback mixed with cheers and whistling and catcalling. Dylan heard Emi laugh nervously next to her.

"Stay cool," she said, elbowing her best friend.

"Easier said than done, amiga," Emi replied, shrugging her shoulders several times, obviously more nervous than anyone.

"We worked too hard not to win," Trisha growled between her teeth.

"Fifth place goes to..."

It was not them. Dylan breathed a sigh, surprisingly calm. Deep down, she knew they would win. She'd never performed like that in her whole life. The vibes on that stage were incredible.

Fourth and third place were announced without a hitch. It was getting second that the group feared. So close, but just not good enough. That's what runners-up said very clearly.

"Now, please, show some r'spect and give a round for our runners-up..."

Emi squeezed Dylan's hand. Circulation disappeared.

"I'm gonna be sick," Trisha whispered.

"If you are, save it and let loose on the judges," Dylan muttered.

Suddenly, Dylan realized that the audience was clapping, and the talented group of trumpet players was taking the second place prize. Emi was cursing rapidly under her breath.

"And now, representin' the stage, first place goes to...Dylan Samuels-"

That was all they needed to hear. Finally, after hours of practice and teaching Dylan how to sing, they had gotten first place.

Everything else was a blur.

FLASHBACK END

Yuna was the last of the four to drop down from the Celsius onto the ruins of Mount Gagazet. She sighed through her nose.

_Sacred Mt. Gagazet. Silent guardian of Zanarkand, city of the dead_. Yuna had heard these words over and over so many times that she herself had memorized them. _When the fayth disappeared, the clouds enshrouding the mountain began to thin and disperse...revealing long-forgotten ruins among its peaks. And here we are now. Somehow, it feels like nothing has truly changed_.

Looking out in front of her, Yuna gasped quietly. Suddenly she felt very dizzy. Taking a step backward to regain her balance, Yuna felt nothing but air beneath her foot, and she stumbled.

"Yuna!" her friends all shouted at once. All three of them grabbed Yuna, their reflexes working as well as they could've.

A crackling noise sounded through the dense air.

"What's your status?" Brother asked. He had probably heard the commotion.

Rikku grunted, trying to pull Yuna up and give her brother a straight answer.

"Disasterrific!" she exclaimed at last.

"'Disasterrific' is not a word! Say "disastrous" like the rest of Spira!"

"I'm not listening..." Rikku closed her eyes with the effort of holding onto Yuna.

"Rikku! Come in!" Brother shouted.

"You want me to hurt him?" Paine offered, grimacing.

"That'd be great," Rikku replied, smirking.

"Come in!" Brother repeated.

"Let's pull her up!" Dylan exclaimed.

"Heave-ho!" the three shouted, lifting Yuna back onto the ruins.

"Don't do that again," Dylan told her, sitting on her butt.

"Thanks." More than anything, Yuna looked amused. "That was a little close."

"A little?" Paine raised her eyebrows in annoyance.

"Come in!" Brother shrieked, his voice echoing.

"We're here. Everything's fine now," Yuna shouted up into the air as the other three got to their feet.

"Yuna, keep an eye on Rikku!"

"You got it!"

Turning around, the Gullwings looked at the craggy mountain ahead of them.

"Better start moving," Rikku suggested, calmly leading the way.

"Think you can keep up?" Yuna teased Dylan, who raised an eyebrow in response.

"If that's a challenge, consider it taken," the brunette replied, putting her hands on her hips.

"You don't hesitate to show off, do you?" Rikku asked, laughing.

"Nope."

"Well, it's not a challenge, so too bad for you." Yuna stuck out her tongue like a little kid, then laughed. "Later, though."

Dylan nodded once, mimicking the funny face.

"Sometimes I wonder how old you guys really are..." Paine muttered, following Rikku.

"Nineteen, but I'm my shoe size at heart." Dylan grinned and ran after Rikku, scaling the rocks with ease.

A few minutes later, the group reached a large cliff. One way down was long and winding, but the other route guaranteed death by rocks.

"We're not getting across this way," Rikku said, gesturing to the large drop.

"Let's find another route," Paine agreed. She hopped down onto the nearby rocks, jumping across. Eventually the path led to an old machina.

"Is this thing supposed to be an elevator?" Dylan wondered out loud.

"Think this machina still works?" Yuna asked Rikku.

Before the blonde could reply, Yuna pressed the glowing button on the side of the wall. The platform shook a little, then started to move downward.

"I wonder how safe this is..." Yuna murmured.

"If you have to ask, it's not," Dylan replied.

Right on cue, the elevator plumetted toward the ground, leaving the girls screaming at the top of their lungs. Then, just as suddenly, the machina stopped at ground level.

"...It stopped," Yuna said, opening her eyes.

"Owwie," Rikku whined.

"What happened?" Brother shouted. "Is Yuna okay?"

Dylan snorted in silent laughter as Yuna made a face.

"Things are..." Yuna stood, grimacing. "...disasterrific."

"Disasterrific? I am on my way!"

"Please, no," Dylan muttered, walking on with Paine.

"What about me?" Rikku cried up to her Brother. He had already lost interest.

After more exploring and treasure chest opening, the four finally arrived on an open platform. At this point, the sun was finally shining.

"Did you hear that?" Paine said suddenly, stopping in her tracks.

Yuna stopped too. "Who's there?"

A flash of hot pink and purple appeared before them.

"Er, Leblanc," the blonde replied, shifting her weight to one side. "Remember that name well, loves!"

"Ah, the thief," Yuna said. The others smirked at each other. Dylan was kind of surprised. Since when was Yuna so witty?

"Whatever do you mean?" Leblanc huffed an impatient sigh. "That's what I hate about amateurs..."

"Maybe she'll go away if we ignore her," Rikku murmured to the other Gullwings. They snickered into their hands.

"You! I heard that!" That only made things worse. Dylan and Rikku burst into hysterics. "Just as I was saying: amateurs! Absolutely no concept of what it takes to be a sphere hunter!"

"Amateurs? Weren't you following us?" Paine pointed out, unamused.

Before Leblanc could make up a lame excuse, the girls heard a whistle.

"Ah, finally," Leblanc said, looking up at the sky. "Did you find anything?"

"Nothing," a female's voice replied.

Suddenly a blur of purple and black dropped down besides Leblanc. The mysterious girl stood upright. She was a bit short compared to the others, and her uniform revealed that she was a member of the Syndicate, of similar rank to Ormi and Logos.

"No way!" Dylan shouted, taking a few steps forward. The girl turned to Dylan, her dark brown eyes emotionless. "Is...It's really you! Emi!"

}{}{}{

"Am I being punked?" I exclaimed into the air, staring Emi down. She looked a little different, but I knew by how she stood-with perfect show choir posture-that it was definitely her. "I can't believe it! You've been here all along!"

Emi didn't say anything, just looked at me.

"Hello? You are Emi, right?"

"Emilia, do you know this girl?" Leblanc asked, looking back and forth between us. I was about to rip her hair out.

"Of course she knows me," I replied for her. "I'm her best friend. We've known each other all our lives."

"She's telling the truth," Emi said at last. She looked at Leblanc. "You go ahead with the others. I'll handle this."

Leblanc didn't look too convinced at first, but eventually she left, and I nearly jumped for joy.

"I can't believe you're actually here!" I cried, dancing on my tiptoes. "I've missed you so much! But, ew, Em, why are you with them? You should hang out with us. We're a lot more fun and a lot better!"

"You bet we are!" Rikku exclaimed, dancing in a circle. Yuna nodded.

"You're welcome to join us, if you want," Yuna said, smiling.

"..." Emi just looked at me. She wasn't even smiling.

"What's wrong?" I asked, immediately picking up on her bad vibes.

"...I don't think you understand why I'm here," Emi replied, frowning.

"Maybe I don't. You should tell me," I said quickly.

"I'm not here to join your little clan," she said. "I'm here to help myself. Not you."

"Excuse me?" I frowned. "I never really asked you to help me. I asked you to join us because you're supposed to be my friend."

"You're such a little kid, Dylan," Emi said, chuckling. "Do you really think things can go back to the way they used to be?"

I was really getting mad now. "I never said that! What gives you the right to put words into my mouth? I just want to know if you want to come with us, but now I'm not so sure I want you to, if you're going to act all holier-than-thou."

"Trust me, I wasn't planning on joining your little troupe. I like where I am, and that includes not having you around. We're different now. You need to realize that."

Who was this parasite of a girl? Where was my best friend? Who the hell ate her soul...?

"Excuse me? Let me correct something: YOU are different now." I gritted my teeth, resisting the temptation to punch her. "Whatever. Whatever! If you don't want to join us, then you'll be at our mercy soon enough."

"Hardly. The Syndicate is already halfway up the mountain."

"Then we'll just make them feel even worse when we're there first!" Yuna cried, backing me up. I had almost forgotten they were still standing there.

"See you later, sucker!" Rikku cried, and before I knew it, the four of us were running off, taking out fiends along the way.

_What just happened_? I wondered, frowning. _That was supposed to be an amazing reunion. She was supposed to come with us, and then the five of us'd kick ass_.

"Dylan?" I felt a hand on my shoulder. Yuna was looking at me, nothing but curiosity on her face.

"Emi was my best friend back where I come from. She disappeared six months ago," I explained, just talking to make myself feel better. "I don't know why she's acting like this."

_Is she jealous? Trisha said that she was_...

"She'll get over it," Yuna assured me.

"I hope so," I replied, but I wasn't so sure that would happen. Emi didn't just make random decisions. She was a schemer if I ever met one. Whatever plan she had was probably pretty well thought-out, and whatever it was, it apparently didn't include me.

Before long, we were almost to the top of the mountain, and as we proceeded up the cliffside, I was thrilled to see the Syndicate hanging onto the edge of a cliff.

"Would-Would you, would you stop staring!" Leblanc was shouting down to Logos and Ormi. Emi was standing above them, trying to find a way to help them up. We made eye contact for a split second, then Emi quickly looked away. I could see her nose turning up at me.

"That kind of clothing really isn't practical for scaling mountains!" I shouted over to Leblanc, and the four of us laughed as we reached the top. It looked like an old church, with the glass walls and ceiling. The only thing out of place was the giant spider fiend.

"It figures we'd run into something like this," Rikku muttered, sighing.

"It comes!" Paine shouted, drawing her sword.

"Good! This gives me an excuse to play with dresspheres!" I laughed, cracking my knuckles. _And an excuse to let out everything_.

Boris the spider (did Nomura like the Who?) was no match for the four of us. In a matter of a few short minutes, he succumbed to our awesomeness. And with the monster dead, we could finally claim our prize: a new dressphere.

"Found it!" Yuna shouted when she got into the little cave. The scarlet-colored sphere was waiting there for us.

"It's obvious to the trained eye," said a voice. We didn't bother to turn around; Leblanc didn't need extra attention. "That sphere's just a dud. Perfect for the Dullwings."

As the Syndicate left, Rikku let out an evil giggle.

"Youth wins again!" she exclaimed, pumping her fist into the air.

"Well, I guess we'll be taking this!" Yuna said, holding the sphere in the air.

"Let's go tell Brother!" I added, running out into the fresh mountain air.

"Brother! Mission complete!" Rikku shouted as the Celsius appeared.

"Brother?" said Buddy. "He's not with you?"

}{}{}{

After getting Brother back on the ship safely, the Gullwings had Shinra analyze their new sphere. It was just a random video of a man talking about getting a ticket to a show. Luckily, Buddy picked up some treasure sphere waves, and so, with Dylan's advice, the girls headed to Besaid Island.

_This must be how a runaway feels after finally coming home_, Yuna thought, her face softening as her group walked into the village. _This is the first time I've returned to Besaid since my journey began_.

"I'm a little nervous," the brunette admitted out loud.

"I bet, the way you took off without a word," Rikku agreed, even though Yuna's disappearance was mostly her fault.

"You said it."

The girls jumped as Wakka appeared. He crossed his arms, feigning sterness. It wasn't convincing at all.

"You caused quite a fuss, young lady," he told Yuna.

"I'm sorry," Yuna said, hanging her head a little. Wakka immediately picked up on the guilt.

"Well, as long as you're okay, ya?" he said, looking at her group. "...No way. No way!" Wakka let out a bellowing laugh. "Dylan, is that really you?"

"You bet it is!" she replied, grinning. "Good to see you again!"

"Same to you, ya?" Wakka turned back to Yuna. "So you're a sphere hunter now... I heard the rumors. To tell you the truth, I wasn't too worried. Gotta say, though... You, uh, do seem pretty different. All of you do."

Rikku giggled, elbowing Wakka in the gut.

"You haven't changed a bit, tubby!" she teased, her toothy grin one hundred percent mischief.

"Whoa! Cut it out, ya! I'm going to be a father soon. Got to have a little more presence, you know?"

"How much longer?" Yuna asked him.

"Any day now!"

"Haven't you been saying that for a while?" Dylan laughed.

"How would you know? You disappeared there for a while, too! Or do you know everything, uh, there is to know again?"

"Try the latter, Wakka. Say hello to your omniscient friend."

"Still-Wakka, a daddy!" Rikku cheered.

"To tell the truth, I sure don't feel like one. I mean, how do I know how a father's supposed to act in front of his kid?"

"Why not just do what your parents did?" Rikku suggested, shrugging.

Wakka let out a low hum. "Don't remember 'em. Sin saw to that when I was still little."

"You don't have any spheres of them?" Yuna added.

"Nope, not a single-"

Wakka's voice faded out.

"What's wrong?" Rikku asked him, but Wakka only shook his head.

"Oh, uh...nothing, nothing. Anyway, do me a favor and go say hi to Lu. She's been worried about you. Get going!"

Wakka quickly walked away, and the girls turned to each other.

"That was the worst lie ever," Dylan stated.

"Well, we'll worry about that later," Rikku said, waving it away. "Let's go talk to Lulu!"

Smiles on their faces-except Paine, of course-the girls walked into Lulu and Wakka's house to find Lu sitting on the couch.

"Welcome back," she said to Yuna, then glancing Dylan with a smirk.

"Hi, Lulu," Yuna said.

"So tell us about the baby!" Rikku exclaimed. "It's gonna be born soon, right?"

Lulu looked genuinely amused, letting out a little hum, similar to the way Wakka did. "Not yet. Wakka's getting a little ahead of himself."

"Aw, bummer," Rikku said, pouting.

"So, care to go for a little walk?"

"Can you?" Yuna asked. Dylan wanted to slap her forehead for Yuna's overly-gentle nature. Noticing Paine's reaction, she knew she wasn't alone.

"I could use the exercise. Come on."

}{}{}{

After talking to Lulu, we agreed to stay overnight at their place. It was crowded, so we slept outside, but we barely slept at all. Mostly we just talked, catching up. Lulu and Wakka told us what they had been up to, then asked me and Yuna and Rikku about our endeavors. I felt bad for Paine; she seemed a little out of place. She didn't seem to mind it. In fact, I'd say she was enjoying herself just as much as the rest of us.

The next morning, Wakka was gone when we woke up. According to Lulu (and the game, which you just lost), he had gone to explore a cave.

"Okay, Dylan, spill it," Rikku said, snapping her fingers at me.

"What's in the cave?" Paine asked me.

"He's after a sphere of his parents," I replied. "There's a sphere there, but it's not what he's looking for."

"Which means it's what we're looking for, then, right?" Yuna asked me, smiling.

"Exactly."

When we arrived to the cave, no questions were asked: we told Wakka we were taking the sphere for our own.

"Besides, it's not what you're looking for anyway," I said. Frowning, I added, "Sorry, Wakka. I wish we could help you."

"Ahhh, it's okay," he said, shrugging. "Go get the sphere. I'll wait for you guys here, ya?"

At the back of the cave, the Flame Dragon was waiting for us.

"Find a sphere and the fiends appear," Paine recited.

"Can I try the new dressphere?" I asked. Yuna nodded, smiling. I knew if I could learn blizzard, we'd be set.

Changing dresspheres always gave me a weird feeling. Yuna said it was normal, but still, I wondered how normal. If the songstress dressphere had memories in it, didn't these others, too?

Soon, we had another dressphere in our possession, and we met Wakka outside of the cave.

"There was supposed to be a sphere of our parents in there," Wakka explained. "Chappu said he found it."

"Chappu? Oh, your brother!" Rikku exclaimed, making the connection.

"He was a Crusader. Now he's gone on to the Farplane. Sin got our parents not long after Chappu was born." For once, Wakka sounded truly sad. "We were too young to remember their faces, you know? When we were kids, we got into a fight one time and Chappu said: 'I found a sphere with mom and dad in it, but I'm not telling you where it is.'"

"And you never asked him?" Yuna gasped, surprised.

"I was too boneheaded to let my little brother win." _Was? Aren't you still_? "So I went on without asking until I just forgot about it. Then yesterday, talking with you made me think about it again. Chappu used to play in this cave, so I thought maybe he found the sphere here, ya? But when I came to look...I got to thinking."

"Thinking can be dangerous, Wakka," I teased him. He chuckled in agreement.

"See, I got this picture of my parents in my head, ya? Strong, and kind... Whenever things got tough, those are the parents I imagined. But their real faces might be totally different, ya? I think about that and I'm not so sure I really wanna know. I was sittin' there trying to figure out what to do. And then you guys showed up."

"That's our Wakka," Rikku said. It was funny how much they got along now, considering Wakka hated her for a while back in the day.

"The sphere might still be somewhere on the island," Yuna pointed out. "Should we look for it?"

"Nah, that's all right." Wakka shrugged it off. "I'm through worrying about that stuff. What's past is past, ya? Can't let it get to me. I'm going to be a father soon. Gotta pull it together!"

"That's right, Dad," Rikku said, sticking out her tongue. Wakka acted like he was going to say something profound, then stopped himself.

"But, uh... Just how am I supposed to pull it together? Sure wish I had something to go by, you know?"

"It's called instinct, and it'll kick in when you need it to," I assured him as a crackling sound filled the air. A transmission?

"You read me?" It was Buddy. "You guys about finished down there? Brother's starting to get on my nerves."

"Yeah, we'll be back soon," Yuna replied.

"Yay!"

"That was Brother," Paine said, trying to hide a smirk.

We all laughed, even Wakka. For a while, I forgot how mad I was. Forgot Emi and how she had betrayed me. After all, I did have other friends again. And as long as I had them, I'd be okay.


	7. Chapter 7: The Way Things Are

Chapter 7: The Way Things Are (youtube - watch?v=VbsKx_FVQlI)

Memo: Just so you know, FFX-2 is stuffed with dialogue, so I skipped scenes in certain places-things that weren't all that significant. Even then, the chapters are going to be really long. If you can't read the whole thing in one sitting, try breaking it up at the "}{}{}{" marks. That's one reason why they're there! Okay, read on, brave followers!

FLASHBACK START

Yuna couldn't help but smile as Rikku, Paine, and Dylan ran ahead of her out of Luca. Rikku and Dylan were chattering on about something, while Paine just listened, like always. This would definitely be a journey full of good times. Just like two years ago.

_The Mi'ihen Highroad: where Crusaders once marched toward battle with Sin, while travellers fled from its shadow_, Yuna thought, looking around at how much it had changed in just two years. Chocobos were replaced by machinas, fiends were significantly fewer and weaker, and more and more people came through each day.

_I walked this road, too, on my pilgrimage to Zanarkand. And you walked by my side. It was a journey filled with laughter_...

"Yunie, come on!" Rikku called out. She and the others were already a good distance away.

"Coming!" Yuna assured her, and the blonde grinned and ran off.

_I pray this journey will be the same_.

FLASHBACK END

Upon arriving at Mushroom Rock Road, the Gullwings were greeted by Logos and Ormi. Of course, the two bumbling idiots had no idea they were being watched.

"It's those creeps again!" Rikku squeaked, pointing them out to the others.

"Maybe there's a sphere here," Paine suggested.

A devious smirk crossed Yuna's face, and she hopped out in front of her friends, her hands crossed behind her back.

"It's our turn to do the following," she told them, and the four of them ran on until they came across a group of Youth League members. Ormi and Logos had come this way, too; they were running toward the headquarters.

"Good to see you again, Lady Yuna!" one of the soldiers exclaimed. "You haven't forgotten me, have you?"

"Yaibal, isn't it?" Yuna said, tilting her head. "You're in the Youth League."

"You really do remember me! I'm truly honored, Lady Yuna! Since that day we first spoke, the Youth League has been conducting a sphere hunt of its own," Yaibal explained, his pride coming through. "We, the Youth League..." He suddenly paused, noticing one leaguer who looked a little downtrodden. "Hmm... Clasko, take it from here."

Clasko sucked in air without the least bit of enthusiasm, then lifted his head and spoke. "We, the Youth League, to better our understanding of Spira's past, vow to remain vigilant in our search..." He paused for a minute, as if he didn't want to finish. "...for ruins and spheres."

"Ohh, that's enough!" Rikku cried, interrupting. "Those two guys are getting away!"

"Did Leblanc's men pass through here?" Paine asked Yaibal.

"They're ugly and they're wearing purple," Dylan added, rocking back and forth on her heels impatiently.

"Yes. They said they're here to take care of our fiend problem." Rikku and Dylan took a couple of steps forward, ready to leave, when Yaibal started talking again. "You see, the Youth League is in preparation for an important operation, leaving our patrols shorthanded. As a result, the road to headquarters has been overrun with fiends. Be warned: unless you can defeat the fiends on the road, you will not be able to pass."

"Couldn't he have said that in less words?" Rikku asked Dylan.

"Or not at all?" Dylan said. They giggled.

"So, are you ready to run the gauntlet?" Yaibal asked Yuna.

"Sure, we're game," Yuna replied.

"Understood! Expect to encounter fiends until you reach the vicinity of the lift. Fight your way through them and proceed to headquarters. That's it. Good luck!" Yaibal did the Youth League salute, then turned to the forlorn Clasko. "Clasko? Clasko! Show them the way!"

"O-Of course. This way, please."

Clasko stepped out of line and headed off, still as unenthusiastic as ever, especially in comparison to Rikku and Dylan.

"Yeah! Let's hunt some fiend!" the blonde cried, running off, Dylan trailing behind her. Yuna slowed to talk to Clasko.

"You seem down," she said to him. He sighed.

"Well, a lot has happened since you brought us the Calm," Clasko told Yuna. "I ended up following Captain Lucil. When she joined the Youth League, so did I. But I'm still stuck playing tour guide." A smile flickered across his face. "You know, all I want is to ride on a chocobo...faster than the wind!"

After finding their way to the lift area, the Gullwings stopped to take a breather, and soon another familiar face greeted them.

"Oh, wow! Lady Yuna! It's me, Elma!" The raven-haired soldier smiled brightly. "It's been so long! Wow, you've really changed."

"How are you?" Yuna asked, smiling back. Compared to Yuna, Elma hadn't changed a bit.

"Never better! Now that I'm in the Youth League, I've always got something to do. Hey, you made it past all the fiends. Nice work!" Elma turned the guards behind her, who were standing quietly at their posts. "Go on, step aside!"

"Right away, Captain!" they said in unison, saluting.

"Wow, look at you!" Yuna exclaimed, grinning.

"Not bad, huh?"

}{}{}{

When we got to the top of the lift, I was kind of surprised how official everything in the Youth League headquarters looked. I was expecting a little more slop, considering they were a younger crowd compared to New Yevon.

We could see Lucil from a ways back because of her bright red hair, but I don't think any of us would've been surprised even then to see her.

"It's been too long, Lady Yuna," Lucil said, saluting. "I am Lucil, commander of the Youth League forces."

"It's good to see you!" Yuna exclaimed.

"Hiya!" Rikku said, waving her arm high in the air, even though Lucil was right in front of her.

"I am glad to find you well. As you can see, I have joined the Youth League to aid in the fight for a new Spira. I consider it my duty." The formal speech just didn't fit her, and I could tell she felt it was rehearsed, too. "Meyvn Nooj, our leader, has been hoping for an audience with my lady for some time. Unfortunately, he is planning a mission of great import and will be occupied well into the night. I am terribly sorry, but I must ask that you return another day."

"Oh, it's no trouble," Yuna told her.

"Who said we wanted to see that old fart anyway?" I said, winking at Rikku, who stuck out her tongue. Man, had I missed her. It was like having a little sister. Like having Jordan around 24-7.

"The Youth League's looking for spheres too, right?" Rikku asked Lucil, who looked more like herself now after the joking around.

"Yes. 'Knowledge of the past is the key to the future.' So says the meyvn. It is with these words in mind that we seek the spheres of yore. The mission we are planning also revolves around a sphere, but..." Lucil paused, stiffening back up again. "I am sorry. I had best say no more. It is not a matter to be discussed openly."

"No, I suppose not," Paine said.

"My apologies."

There was really nothing to say after that, so the four of us said our "see you later"s and walked away. Yuna noticed someone familiar sitting on the ground nearby, and she stopped.

"Is that Maechen?" she asked me, nodding toward the old man.

"Yeah," I replied. "You should go talk to him."

"You won't be doing much talking," Rikku pointed out. "His stories are a snoozefest."

"If you want to find him, go listen to Maechen's story," I told Yuna. "Don't interrupt, don't say anything until he's done."

"..." Yuna thought a moment, then walked over to Maechen.

It's not in my nature to be manipulative, but at that moment, I felt like Yuna's puppeteer. I could control her actions just by mentioning Tidus. I didn't even have to say his name.

We stood there for quite a length of time-Rikku sat there-while Maechen spoke to us. His story was about Trema, the founder of New Yevon, and how the Youth League formed in response. It was actually kind of interesting, but I wasn't really listening. I had heard it before at least once, and my mind was too occupied with a checklist. Did we do everything we needed to do here? If this _were_ a game, what would be our completion percentage? I didn't want to miss any details.

When Maechen shook Yuna's hand, I knew that was our cue to leave. The Den of Woe was our next stop, and then...

I couldn't help but smile. Djose Temple meant...Gippal. Finally, something fun.

}{}{}{

"We never did see Leblanc's goonies again!" Rikku said, walking beside Paine.

"Why complain?" Paine muttered.

"Don't worry-they're back there!" Dylan said, pointing to a cave entrance a few meters in front of them.

"Let's get 'em," Rikku snickered, creeping forward.

Sure enough, Logos and Ormi were standing in the cave, sorting through a collection of spheres.

"This one ain't no good!" Ormi said, holding out a purple sphere.

"Nor this one," Logos added, looking at a green one.

"What're you doing?" Yuna asked, and the two freaked out.

"Let's get outta here!" Ormi shouted, his voice cracking as he shoveled the spheres into his pudgy arms.

"We must inform the boss!" Logos added, firing his gun. Smoke appeared in front of him and Ormi, and when it cleared, they had vanished.

"Neat magic trick!" Dylan exclaimed, laughing.

"Hey, they dropped something!" Rikku pointed out, running over to a crimson-colored sphere.

"Finders keepers," Yuna told the girls with a giggle. Rikku nodded, pocketing the sphere. The four began to leave when suddenly a figure appeared at the entrance.

"Hey," he said, stepping out of the shadows. "Long time no see. Remember me?"

Yuna gasped, a smile making its way onto her face.

"Of course I do!" she exclaimed.

"Glad to hear it," Maroda said.

"How've you been?"

"I joined up with the Youth League and that's been keeping me pretty busy," he replied, shrugging.

"Oh, I'm a sphere hunter," Yuna told him.

"Ah, that sounds great, trying out a new way of life. Actually, Pacce's a sphere hunter now, too. He's the leader of the Kinderguardians. Be nice to him if you see him."

"How's Isaaru?" Yuna asked.

"The Youth League discovered this place, you know," Maroda said, completely ignoring Yuna's question. "It's called the Den of Woe. It was sealed around the time of Operation Mi'ihen."

"And Isaaru?" Yuna tried again, but the level of awkwardness just rose even higher.

"But, uh, the seal can supposedly be broken with the right combination of spheres."

"Um..." Yuna didn't really know what else to say without being mean. It didn't seem like Isaaru was dead, more like Maroda just didn't want to talk about him. Then she realized: Isaaru was probably with New Yevon.

"I'm afraid this place is off-limits until we can conduct a more thorough investigation. So I'll, um, have to ask you to leave. I'm sorry."

Yuna didn't say anything else after that until they reached the outside pathway again, where Clasko was standing there, as if he was waiting for them.

"That's it. Every time I try something new, I screw it up," he said when the Gullwings came into view. Apparently he _had_ been waiting for them. "I just don't know what I want to do with my life. I don't know where I belong. I've spent my whole life drifting from one failure to the next. But, I can't keep doing this forever. I know that there's a place for everyone in this world-even someone as sad and pathetic as me."

Clasko turned to Yuna, his eyes desperate.

"Lady Yuna! I want to find my place! Please, allow me to ride on your airship!"

"The more the merrier!" Yuna replied, smiling. What else was she supposed to say? He would've done the same for her.

"Thank you so much! I'll find my true calling, you'll see!"

}{}{}{

"Everyone's staring," Yuna murmured when we arrived at Djose Temple a little later on. I couldn't help but grin.

"You're famous, Yunie," Rikku pointed out. "Better get used to it."

"All I want's some peace and quiet," the brunette sighed.

"But that's so boring," I said, half-smiling.

"Poor thing. She's led such a sheltered life," Rikku said to me and Paine. Said warrior got a funny sadistic smile on her face.

"Maybe she's getting old," she said, making Yuna whirl around.

"Who's getting old?" Yuna cried defensively, like she took it too seriously.

Right on cue, a young man with blonde hair and an eyepatch walked past us. I'm not going to lie...he was very attractive. Yuna and Rikku watched him with especially great interest. There was a certain gleam in Rikku's eye as she tiptoed over to her cousin.

"That's Gippal, leader of the Machine Faction," the blonde whispered, not taking her eyes off of him for a second. "He can be kind of annoying, but he's all right."

"Okay, let's do some interviews," Gippal shouted at the people in front of Djose Temple. "Bring it!"

Yuna giggled. "Yeah, he seems all right."

After waiting around for a while, we went into the nearby tent to get permission for an interview, and soon we were in the temple. There were a few Al Bhed men standing with Gippal. I could hear them talking in Al Bhed.

"E ryja ymnayto ehdanjeafat people (I have already

interviewed people.)," Gippal was saying. "Uha uv oui kioc dyga ujan. (One of you guys take over.)"

"Gippal!" one of the men cried when he saw us. Gippal turned to us, raising his visible eyebrow.

"Huh?" he grunted, catching sight of Yuna first.

"Hello," Yuna said calmly.

"You, uh, here for an interview?" he asked, stepping toward us cautiously.

"Uh-huh."

"The great high summoner wants an interview?" Now he just seemed disbelieving. Noob.

Yuna put her hands on her hips. "Former summoner."

"Hm. All right, follow me."

Gippal, trying to look disinterested and epically failing, led us to the bridge outside Djose Temple. When we stopped, he peered into Yuna's face like a total creeper. If I had been Rikku, I would've been so jealous.

"Never been this close to a celebrity before," Gippal told Yuna, literally inches away from her face. Yuna was bent over backwards somewhat, trying to get away from him.

"That's nice," she replied.

"I could get used to this," he then said, but Yuna gave him a look.

"Let's not," she said firmly, and he backed off, then caught sight of Rikku.

"Well, if it isn't Cid's girl," Gippal said, smirking. "How you been?"

"Hey, I have a name!" Rikku exclaimed, her voice more flirtatious than pissed.

Gippal seemed to notice that, seeing as how his smirk just got bigger. "Heh. Brother doin' okay?"

"Same as ever. Buddy's around, too."

"And now Shinra," I added. Gippal eyed me.

"I've never seen you before," he said.

"Well, now you have. I'm Dylan. Now hurry up and let me get on with my life."

But Gippal had already lost interest in me. His eye was locked on Paine.

"You!" he cried, rushing over to her. Paine looked beyond pissed.

"Paine," she said abruptly. "Nice to meet you."

"Uh-huh?"

"We're here for the interview," she reminded him.

"Right...the interview." Snapping back out of it, Gippal straightened up, putting his fists on his hips. "You sure you wanna dig? 'Cause we're talking about the desert, ladies. Not exactly a picnic."

"We're sure," Yuna said, nodding once.

"All right, you're hired. Welcome."

"Huh?"

"You. Are. Hired. Don't know why a superstar like you would want to play in the sand." Gippal shrugged. "Well, do what you gotta do. Anyways, I've done what I can. Dig to your heart's content."

"Um, thanks." We didn't really get why he just gave us permission, but I'm guessing it had something to do with the fact that we were four kick-ass, pretty ladies with sexy clothes and mad skills. Something like that.

Gippal whipped a letter out of his pocket, showing it to us.

"Show this letter to a woman named Nhadala," he told Yuna, handing it over to her. "You'll find her in the Bikanel Desert." When she took the letter, he immediately turned around, waving over his shoulder.

"Happy digging!"

}{}{}{

A few hours later, after resting up on the Celsius, the girls headed over to Moonflow to find a strange little midget man dressed in a strange costume.

"On this spot, I'll be sponsoring an extraordinary show!" he told them, advertising to any passers-by. "Do, do come! Oh, and I'm Tobli. Yup-yup! It will be splendid indeed! Mark my words! People here and there, and merriment everywhere!"

"Hey, that sounds like fun!" Rikku exclaimed. There was then an awkward silence. "Okay, well, we'll see you then!"

Just as they started to leave toward Guadosalam, Tobli shouted after them.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! I have a favor to ask of you!"

"Let's go," Paine said.

"Um, okay? After all, we're sphere hunters. But..."

Yuna glanced at Dylan, who was looking Yuna straight in the eye. The look on her face was almost accusatory.

"Oh, let's hear him out!" she exclaimed, turning around. Rikku giggled as Paine heaved a frustrated sigh.

"Your insistence that we have to help everyone is really a pain, you know?" she told Dylan.

"Sorry, not my call," the brunette said, shrugging. "At least we'll get a dressphere out of this one."

"Oh, here's the thing, you see," Tobli began to explain. "My able assistant hasn't come back. From Luca, of course. Where else? He went to fetch some supplies, which are vitally, crucially important! For the show, you see."

"'Go check on him,' right?" Rikku asked.

"Oh, quite, quite!"

"Why ask us?" Paine asked, still a little irked.

"Because you are sphere hunters and sphere hunters hunt spheres!"

From his coat pocket, Tobli flashed a dressphere.

"Told you," Dylan told Paine, smirking. Paine raised her eyebrows.

"Not bad at all."

"That settles it!" Rikku cried.

"Right, right . It's yours if you return my assistant safely back to safety. I'm thinking he must be over in the general vicinity of Djose Temple. Oh, and he's a Hypello."

And so the search began. It didn't take long to find him, seeing as how not only was he a Hypello, but he also had a huge cart and a Chocobo with him. On their way back, the girls fought off some bandits and fiends, but it was all for the sake of a dressphere-which, by the way, they received after arriving back safely.

But for Dylan, it was more than that. It was for the purpose of completion. It was for the sake of getting Tidus back.


	8. Chapter 8: Secrets Only God Knows

Chapter 8: Secrets Only God Knows (youtube - watch?v=ysL1DL8au0s)

Memo: The title is based on a line from Utada Hikaru's song "HEART STATION." It's beautiful-if you've never heard it, you need to go listen to it. This chapter covers a lot of little scenes, so it's kind of boring, sorry. I did try to add little stupid things to make it more fun. ;) Enjoy, and thanks for reading~

FLASHBACK START

"Want another?" Dylan tossed a bag of marshmallows over to Trisha, who grinned.

"At this rate, we're going to turn into s'mores," she said, giggling.

"That wouldn't be so bad," Emi stated, shrugging. "We'd never be hungry."

"Hahaha, but being burned over a fire doesn't sound too appealing, either," Dylan pointed out.

The three continued to talk and laugh, trying to ignore the looming reality of their situation: this would probably be the last time they camped together. What with the three of them going off to different colleges, and Trisha's health deteriorating...

But the subject was pushed aside completely for tonight. They were just going to do what they always did when they went camping: eat, talk, sleep, and have fun.

"What time is it?" Trisha asked.

"Don't ask! It'll make you tired!" Emi joked, throwing a graham cracker at the blonde.

"I can't even see my watch face," she complained.

"Doesn't it light up?" Dylan asked with her mouth full.

"...Oh yeah!"

Even though it was dark, Dylan and Emi exchanged glances. How much longer would it be this way...?

FLASHBACK END

When we got to Guadosalam, I had almost forgotten that the Farplane was just within my reach, and when the memory came back to me, I kind of jumped.

"what's wrong?" Yuna asked me as we stood in front of Leblanc's chateau.

"Oh, um, nothing," I lied. "I just remembered something...but don't worry about it." That last part was true, so I guess I wasn't technically lying. I was simply concealing.

"If you say so."

Guadosalam was a sad mess. Hardly any Guado were still there; many had fled because of what Seymour and the others had done. Two years ago, I had been amazed at the lack of persecution for racial differences-now I was being proven wrong again.

"Are you going to visit the Farplane, Yunie?" Rikku asked Yuna, and my heart started pounding in my ears.

"...No, I don't think so. We're just passing through."

I wanted to hit her. It took every ounce of self-control not to say something, not to protest. But I couldn't blow it now... That meant I would have to wait until the next time we "passed through."

I got a little bit happier when we walked out of Guadosalam and into another very beloved place.

"Awww yeah!" I shouted, running out into the rain. The Thunder Plains...probably my haven more than anywhere else in Spira.

Whipping my rain-soaked hair around, I looked at Rikku, grinning.

"C'mon, you still scared?" I shouted through the thunder. She smirked at me.

"Not anymore!" she cried, running down the hill and pushing me out of her way.

"Since when did this happen?" I asked, chasing after her.

"I wanted to get over it, so I camped out here for a week," she told me, her wet hair flopping in her face. "And it worked!"

"Yay!" I cheered, throwing my arms in the air. "If you can be that brave, maybe you should try talking to Gippal."

"Ehh?" A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and I could see Rikku was blushing.

"I could tell you wanted to say more than two sentences to Gippal back at Djose Temple. So why didn't you?"

"Because Yuna was there."

"So? If you like him, why don't you act like it?" I knew I was being hypocritical, but I didn't care. We were just playing around.

"Who said I liked him?"

"I did. I can tell. No one else can because you hide it." I cupped my hands to my mouth. "Want me to shout it so loud he can hear?"

"Stop it!" Rikku laughed, wrenching my hands away. "Okay, so what if I do? What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to throw you at him, is what!" I giggled, pulling Rikku along by the arms. "You shall be a human sacrifice!"

"Nooooo!"

}{}{}{

Yuna was grateful that they made it safely through the Thunder Plains, but she always coming out of there to Macalania Woods-it was already getting colder.

_It's been two years since the fayth in Macalania Temple_

_disappeared_, Yuna realized as she and her friends walked through the woods. _They say it's affecting not only the lake, but the woods as well_.

While walking, Yuna's group came across one of the musicians from their last journey.

"The woods will soon be no more," Bayra said, strumming his harp.

Right before their eyes, he disappeared.

"Wonder where he went," Paine said.

"Where are the others?" Rikku asked, looking around.

"I'm assuming you know?" Yuna said, turning to Dylan.

"Good assumption."

Later, the group found Donga, beating on his drums all by his lonesome.

"The end has come faster than I thought," he said. "What can we do? I'll be there in two shakes." He, too, faded.

"Oh me, oh my, what did you say? Don't move an inch! I'm on my way!" Pukutak said, moving away from Yuna and her friends. He stopped suddenly, his back to the girls. "These woods grow lonely day by day."

"Who've they been talking to?" Rikku whispered to Dylan as they walked away.

"Bayra," Dylan replied. "You'll understand next time we come here." The brunette nodded at a Guado, who was standing by himself some distance away. "We need to talk to him next anyway."

"Is...is that Tromell?" Yuna asked, tilting her head in surprise.

"It is. He'll give us something good if you talk to him for long enough."

"Let's go," Paine said in response.

"Oh, High Summoner Yuna," Tromell said the second he saw Yuna. "Forgive me for the grief I have caused you."

"How have you been?" Yuna asked him.

"Well... With Lord Seymour gone, we Guado are hardly different from the dead," he replied, frowning deeply. "Many Ronso lost their lives at the hands of Lord Seymour. Those who survived swore vengeance for their fallen comrades. We Guado sealed ourselves away in Guadosalam and strengthened our defenses... But soon we no longer had the strength for even this. Now, we live among the shadows of these woods."

"Tromell..." Yuna murmured, her voice leaded with pity.

"High Summoner, do not trouble yourself to show sympathy for the Guado," Tromell insisted. "We once walked willingly with Lord Seymour, never questioning, even as he led all Spira into madness. Lady Yuna, I cannot ask that you forgive us...only that you forget us."

"Tromell..." Yuna repeated.

"Ah, well, what brings the high summoner to these woods?" Tromell asked, looking at Yuna and her friends.

"Well, I'm a sphere hunter now," Yuna answered.

"Hm. A sphere hunter?"

"We hunt spheres," Rikku said. Paine and Dylan exchanged glances that said, "Thank you, Captain Obvious."

"You don't say..." Tromell thought for a moment, then smiled politely. "Well, then, please allow me to give you this. It is of

no use to us."

He pulled a strangely colored sphere from one of his pockets.

"Score!" Rikku cried, pumping her fist in the air.

"Thank you!" Yuna exclaimed, taking it without hesitation.

}{}{}{

Yuna wanted to see if we could somehow sneak into Macalania Temple to look for spheres, so we ended up right outside the travel agency to find a group of Al Bhed officials standing there.

"Frana ec ra? (Where is he?)" one of the men asked.

"O'aka, kad uid rana! (O'aka, get out here!)" another shouted.

"Lusa uid! Nacicdyhla ec videma! (Come out! Resistance is

futile!)" a female officer cried.

"Did they say O'aka?" Yuna asked me. I nodded, then turned as I noticed movement from behind us. Said salesman was standing there.

"Shhh!" O'aka shushed us when we saw him. "Do O'aka a favor and pretend ye never saw him!"

Yuna was about to say something to him, but he shot off like a human bullet. We all exchanged looks that said the same thing: follow him.

So we did. He led us into the heart of Macalania Woods, forcing us to backtrack and forget our escapade to Macalania Temple. I don't think the others really minded, though; I could tell by the look on her face that Yuna was really curious as to what kind of trouble O'aka had gotten himself into this time.

"O'aka XXIII!" Rikku called out into the trees. "Where are you?"

I couldn't help but find myself amused by the fact that she called him by his formal name.

"My, I certainly have a lot of visitors today, don't I?"

We stopped to see a lone Guado standing there. He looked kind of old and decrepit, but friendly and honest.

"Oh, dear," he then said, putting a clawed hand to his mouth. "I don't think I was supposed to say that. I was supposed to say, 'Don't walk over there!'"

The Guado motioned to a small portion of the forest that was all trees and brush. Somewhere anyone on the run would hide.

"O'aka! Come down from there!" I called up the trees, knowing he was sitting in one of them.

Sure enough, the merchant dropped down to the ground, landing somewhat gracefully on his feet.

"It looks like ye finally caught up with me," he said, brushing twigs off of his pants. "O'aka at your service!"

"What's going on?" Paine asked him.

"I bought the Travel Agency from Mr. Rin, but then the temple nearby sank to the bottom of the lake. And business sank with it," he explained, shrugging. "Just my luck. Now the Al Bhed have come to collect and they're not in the mood for excuses." O'aka looked at Yuna with an innocent gleam in his eyes. It was obvious he was a salesman. "Think ye could give old O'aka a place to lay low? Hmm? For a while? I'll find a way to make it up to ye, I promise."

Yuna considered this offer for a moment.

"What do you think?" she asked me. "Sounds like he's in trouble..."

"Why not take him with us?" I suggested. She nodded.

"Let's hide him on the airship!" she exclaimed to the group of us.

"Thank ye!" O'aka said, smiling brightly.

"So how can we really help him?" Yuna said, turning to me again.

"Buy stuff off of him, of course!" I smiled, raising my eyebrows a little. "If we can pay back his debt...well, trust me, it'll pay off later!"

"Okay, sounds like a good plan!"

}{}{}{

"Wanna turn in the letter to Nhadala?" Rikku asked the group when they were back on the Celsius. Between the four of them, the girls were able to buy enough items from O'aka to pay back his debt to the Al Bhed. He had decided to stay on the ship a while longer, as thanks, but soon he would return to his shop.

"Why not?" Yuna replied. "To Bikanel Island!"

"If Yuna says so, we go!" Brother cried.

Soon the girls were standing in the desert, sand blowing in their faces.

_Bikanel Island. This is where the Al Bhed's beloved Home stood until two years ago_, Yuna thought, squinting. _Most have moved on, but a handful of Al Bhed still live here today. They say countless machina lie buried under the desert sands_.

"Leave the trailblazing to me!" Rikku cried, throwing an arm up in the air.

"This seems familiar," Dylan mumbled, smirking.

After walking for what felt like forever, Rikku stopped, frowning.

"Umm, I don't think that sand dune used to be there..." she said, putting a finger to her lips in confusion.

"Rikku, you do know the way, right?" Paine asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Uh, Rikku? Are we in trouble?" Yuna asked.

"Is this gonna be like two years ago?" Dylan added.

Rikku didn't reply, so the girls continued to follow her until they were too exhausted to even move.

Next thing they knew, they were lying in the sand in an Al Bhed camp.

_When did we get here_? Yuna wondered as she sat upright. An Al Bhed approached her.

"Dra vunafusyh ec fyedehk ujan drana (The forewoman is waiting over there.)," he said. Yuna furrowed her brows.

"Ummm...thanks?"

"He said the forewoman is waiting for us over yonder."

Yuna turned to see Dylan sitting there, looking dazed.

When everyone had come to, the girls headed over to the main part of the camp.

"He says they had to move the camp to escape the sandstorm," Rikku was saying, relaying a previous conversation with the Al Bhed man. "We could've looked forever and never found it."

Suddenly an Al Bhed approached Rikku and began talking to her. A displeased look crossed her face.

"What?" Yuna said quickly.

"Sounds like there's a big sandstorm coming in," she replied. "It's probably too big for the airship to handle."

"I guess we won't be leaving the way we came," Paine said with a sigh.

"Let's just go find Nhadala and get this over with," Dylan said. "It's hotter than snot out here."

"An understatement, but your point is valid," Paine said, smirking at her.

The blonde came in a bit later, complaining in Al Bhed about how much she hated storms.

"I'm busy, so make it fast, okay?" she told the girls when they approached her. "I've got lots to excavate and no one to do it."

"Yunie, show her Gippal's letter!" Rikku exclaimed to her cousin.

"I've got this letter-" Yuna began, pulling the piece of paper out of her pocket.

"Oh, so you're the new guys!" Nhadala said, sounding relieved.

"That's us!" Rikku confirmed, nodding.

"Hmm. I guess the high summoner's hard up, too. Well, don't be expecting any special treatment."

"Right," Yuna said, nodding.

From then on, it was no fun and all work for the Gullwings. They spent the entire afternoon digging up items Nhadala need for various repairs and the like. Yuna was grateful there were four of them; they could cover more ground, and they all-especially Dylan-were not afraid to get dirty.

"Just what we needed!" Nhadala exclaimed in joy when the girls arrived back to the camp. "You're good."

"What did you expect?" Rikku asked her, putting her hands on her hips. Dylan sneezed, making Rikku break her pose and giggle.

"Don't let it go to your head. But you did do a good job. Here." Nhadala held out a couple of items to the girls. "Your reward."

"The r word!" Dylan cheered, hi-fiving Rikku.

"Yes!" the blonde squealed.

"Thank you!" Yuna said, grinning.

"Come back any time you like. We'll be here," Nhadala said, smiling.

}{}{}{

Finally, we were in Bevelle, somewhere pretty familiar. Or not, I suppose, since most of the city had been rebuilt since the defeat of Sin. Still, I had memories of this place, things to fall back on. None of them were all that pleasant.

I could tell Yuna was thinking the same thing when we walked through the gates.

"L-Lady Yuna?" a woman gasped as we walked past. "Please, this way!"

The random chick led us down a big walkway, one we easily could've followed ourselves. When we got to the entrance, there was a man waiting there. He was even more enthusiastic than the woman.

"Oh! The high summoner!" he exclaimed when he saw us. I wanted to remind him that there were three other people there BESIDES Yuna, but I kept quiet. "I see you've finally decided to join New Yevon! You do us much longer, my lady. Lord Braska-may he rest in peace-would be proud. I will summon the praetor immediately. I beg your leave."

"Pushy, isn't he?" Rikku said as he rushed off. Yuna made a face.

"We should leave," she said suddenly.

"Hey, what's the matter, Yunie?" Rikku asked.

"Well, you see, there was this arrangement...with the son of the chairman of New Yevon. I turned the offer down, but I thought it'd be kind of awkward."

"Yunie! Hmm?"

Just like Yuna, Paine had a sour look on her face.

"You're probably right," she said. "Let's go."

As she started to walk off, Rikku chased after her.

"Huh? No, wait! Wait! Hey!"

Paine just ignored her until suddenly the doors opened in front of us. Another very attractive man appeared before us. He looked a little older than Gippal, but not by much. He had dark skin and white hair and a collar that covered most of his mouth.

The cute guy bowed to us, and everyone kind of stopped what they were doing.

"A pleasure, Lady Yuna," he said. "I am Baralai, Praetor of New Yevon."

"So, you're the chairman's son?" Rikku said, suddenly absorbed. I'm sure she was thinking, Why turn down THIS offer?

"Ah." The way he said that meant he knew what she really meant. "As it happens, the chairman has recently resigned. As did his son, the praetor. They were trying to take too much power. We had to ask them to leave. Now the younger members run the party-by mutual consensus, of course."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Yuna said.

"No you're not," Rikku and I mouthed to each other, grinning.

"So you see, Lady Yuna... It is not I that was meant to marry the high summoner."

"My!" Yuna gasped.

Oh, Yuna...formal as ever.

"Not that we wouldn't appreciate your support." Baralai smiled a smile that would melt Antarctica and attract kittens. "On the contrary, you'd be most welcome. I understand if your feelings toward Yevon are mixed. But I would hope that you could put that aside and join our cause. The world is changing, and there many who are finding it difficult to keep up. New Yevon wishes to help those who feel lost in the winds of change." He paused; apparently his rehearsed speech had come to an end. "If you'll excuse me, there are matters which require my attention. Oh, and should you come across any spheres of Spira's past, please do let us know."

He bowed again, and I half expected him to wink. I swear he's the missing sixth member of DBSK.

"My lady." Baralai smiled again, then disappeared behind the temple doors.

"Oohh!" Rikku squealed as soon as the doors closed behind him. "So, what do you think?"

"Wh-What?" Yuna gasped, looking at Paine, who was completely rigid with rage. "Paine?"

She looked ready to rip the vocal chords out of the poor guy, but she quickly cooled off, sighing through her nose.

"I think I've heard enough," she replied gruffly. "What now?"

"That's a good question," Yuna said, turning to me. I half-smiled unenthusiastically. Sometimes I wished I didn't know everything.

"The Calm Lands?" I said. It came out as a question, timid, but I knew that was the next stop on our map. "Yeah, the Calm Lands are next."

Yuna smiled in thanks, and a little wave of guilt washed over me.

_Oh, Yuna, I really am sorry I'm using you like this_, I thought, pursing my lips. _Let's hope this works out for the better_.


	9. Chapter 9: Rules are Meant to Be Broken

Chapter 9: Rules are Meant to Be Broken (youtube - watch?v=nvzRSyjjkGI)

Memo: Random: I learned the end dance to Koda Kumi's TABOO, which is the song featured in this chapter...so I guess that wasn't too random after all. By the end of this chapter, you'd be almost done with Chapter One of the game. ;) So we're getting there, I promise. (Considering Chapter Four is basically non-existent, lmao.)

FLASHBACK START

"I can't believe you signed us up for that publicity campaign," Paine said for the fourth time, sighing.

"Well, they _are_ fun games," Rikku admitted, grinning.

"You'll thank me later," Dylan said, rolling her eyes. "It's nothing. You just subtly bring it up in a conversation, then hook them after that. Basic psychology."

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but if it can get us some gil or some spheres, I'm okay with that," Paine replied, shrugging.

Yuna just smiled. She loved her friends; they completed each other. Despite how much Dylan had changed on the outside, she was still basically the same person that she was two years ago.

The Calm Lands were kind of the same way. What used to be empty plains and grassland was now a sprawling fun zone geared toward gil-making and not much else. But the purpose of the Calm Lands hadn't really changed. It was still a peaceful spot, meant to distract as many people as possible from their problems.

"Okay, see that young guy and his dad over there?" Dylan said, pointing across the way. "We need to go talk to them next."

"He looks like a creep," Paine said. Yuna giggled.

"Who? The guy or his dad?"

"Both," Yuna and Paine said in unison.

FLASHBACK END

_The Ronso still live here on Mt. Gagazet_, Yuna thought, feeling the cold wind coming from the mountain. _Kimahri is their elder now, and he's working hard to unite his people. Still it seems much quieter here than it used to be_. Yuna looked at her friends, who were looking around at the Ronso gathered at the summit. _Maybe because summoners no longer come here to climb the sacred mountain_...

Suddenly one of the Ronso began to walk toward Yuna and her friends. Yuna recognized him immediately; he hadn't changed at all in the last two years.

"Kimahri!" she exclaimed, smiling.

"Yuna look well," Kimahri said, a small smile appearing on his own face. "Kimahri glad."

"How you been, Kimahri?" Rikku asked, grinning as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "What's it like being an elder?"

"Elder's job difficult. Kimahri troubled."

Just then, a younger Ronso approached them. He seemed upset about something. Yuna had never seen him before.

"Elder," the Ronso said. "Lian and Ayde not here! Children have left mountain. Gone to search for elder's horn!"

"What's going on?" Yuna asked. The names "Lian" and "Ayde" didn't sound familiar.

"Lian and Ayde still pups, but bear Ronso future," Kimahri explained. Dylan realized this conversation was the most she'd ever heard him talk. "Say they search for way to fix Kimahri's broken horn."

"If Kimahri act like true elder, these things not happen," the other Ronso growled.

"Maybe so."

"Kimahri..." Rikku murmured, frowning.

The younger Ronso turned to walk away, when suddenly he stopped. Without turning back around, he said, "High Summoner Yuna, it is Garik's honor."

"Nice to meet you," she said.

"Garik know Yuna save Spira, but Ronso not saved yet."

"Um..." Yuna paused, looking at her friends. Apparently they were just as startled by the harsh comment. "We'll take care of Lian and Ayde."

Garik let out a dissatisfied grunt, then walked away, his muscles tensing with each step.

"Kimahri worried about Lian and Ayde," Kimahri said when Garik was out of earshot. "But Kimahri cannot leave mountain. If Yuna find Lian and Ayde, bring them back to Gagazet."

Yuna nodded once understandingly.

"Maybe we should talk to the other Ronso to find out more," Paine suggested.

"That's a good idea," Rikku agreed.

"Must ask High Summoner Yuna..." a Ronso woman suddenly said, startling the girls. "Find Lian and Ayde."

"Leave it to the Gullwings!" Yuna exclaimed, smiling.

}{}{}{

After talking to the other Ronso on the mountain, we opted out of climbing and decided to take the ship to Zanarkand instead. Normally I would've jumped for the chance to sit and relax, but I had so much pent-up nervous energy that being stuck on the ship was really annoying.

Thankfully, the ride wasn't a long one, and I spent most of it talking to Clasko. Obnoxiously childish as he is, I can at least say he's genuine.

"Oh my gosh," I muttered when we reached Zanarkand.

This place was not only sacred to Yuna, but to me also. This was the place where I had found love, betrayed Yuna, and destroyed a religion. So many memories, some of them better than others. And now...

"A tourist attraction," Paine said bitterly.

"Whose idea was that?" Rikku snapped, looking around. If I hadn't already been feeling sour, I would've laughed at the irony. The City of the Dead was now more alive than it had ever been before.

"...Let's just keep moving," Yuna murmured, her voice just above a whisper.

"Yuna?"

We all stopped at the sound of Quinton Flynn's voice. I knew who it was immediately-because, come on now, it definitely wasn't Axel or Reno.

"You've changed so much, I hardly recognize you," Isaaru said, approaching us. He still wore the traditional summoner robes after all that time. "Remember me?"

"Of course I remember!" Yuna exclaimed, probably thrilled to see a familiar face among the crowds. "It's good to see you again, Isaaru."

"I'm honored that you remembered me."

"What are you doing here?"

"Ah, yes. I've been helping Cid with his work."

We all turned and looked at Rikku. Paine looked downright amused.

"Don't look at me," Rikku said quickly, waving her hands in front of her face.

"I guide people through Zanarkand, once the most sacred of places," Isaaru elaborated. Yuna's face fell more and more as he spoke. "People come from all over Spira. Sphere hunters, too."

"Oh," was Yuna's response.

"Ugh!" Rikku groaned, putting her fists on her head. "What the heck is Pop thinking?"

"I can see this is upsetting you. But this is a place of great historical importance for all of Spira."

"I know. But, still..." I saw Yuna glance at the spot the eight of us sat at so long ago, and my throat closed up. Those memories were still so vivid. "I never wanted anyone else to stand there."

"Yuna?" Isaaru said, and Yuna snapped out of it.

"Nothing. Forget it." she murmured.

"If you say so..." There was a group of people nearby standing around. They looked like they were waiting on a tour or something. "Ah, I must be getting to work now. Please, take care, Yuna."

Isaaru smiled at the rest of us warmly, then walked away. Yuna didn't say anything; she just walked away, too. We followed her, not knowing what else we were supposed to do.

Personally, I felt so emotionally drained that I wanted to go back to the ship and sleep for a little while.

I knew that wasn't going to happen, though, so we kept on walking. As soon as I saw the bliztball stadium entrance, I got such bad chills that Paine asked if I was cold.

"Nah, I'm okay," I assured her. She seemed to know what I meant.

Right before we entered, we saw some kids running around in front of us.

"Taro, Hana, you ready?" one said. I knew it was Pacce-I would've known even if I hadn't played the game. His voice was distinct.

"Um..." Hana hummed, tapping her little finger against her chin. "What was the clue again?"

"Come on! It's 'key'!" Taro shouted, hopping in her face.

"All right, let's head out!" Pacce cried.

"Yes, sir!"

Inside, the kids were there again.

"Which way?" Taro asked.

"That way!" Pacce said, pointing.

"Yes!" Hana cried.

"Lady Yuna!" Pacce had seen us. He ran over, his partners in crime tagging along. "Do you remember me?"

"Sure I do!" Yuna exclaimed. "You're Pacce."

"You remembered me!" He was so excited, and I was trying to figure out why when I remembered that Yuna was a celebrity...which made me like her bouncer. My dream had come true.

Just kidding.

"This is Hana, and this is Taro," Pacce said, gesturing to his friends.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Yuna," Taro said politely.

"What are you doing here?" Yuna asked Pacce. "There are fiends around!"

"Fiends? Ha!" Hana said, smirking.

"Uh-huh! That's right! We're sphere hunters," Pacce said with a nod. He and Hana posed.

"The Kinderguardians!" they shouted.

"The Kinderguardians!" Taro jumped in, obviously the dork of the group.

"You here on some kind of treasure hunt?" Rikku asked them, cutting to the chase.

"So 'key' must be a clue to finding the treasure," Yuna said, catching on.

"Uh-huh," Pacce replied. "That's right!"

"Shhh!" Hana put a finger to her lips. "We paid fifteen whole gil for that! Come on, let's go!"

"Kinderguardians, move out!" Pacce looked over his shoulder at us as he ran off. "See ya, Lady Yuna."

"Fifteen gil for a clue?" Paine said when they left.

"Could be worse...but not by much," I replied, smirking.

Just a few minutes later, we saw a goon drop down in front of us, so we ducked for cover.

"Come in. Come in. Do you read me? Oh, hey," he said into his transmitter. "I wanted to double-check that clue. It's 'mon,' right? Nah, it's just that I heard some kids saying it was 'key.' Yeah, I figured it was 'mon.' Over and out."

"The clues are 'key' and 'mon'?" Paine said.

"Wha...? The Gullwings?" the goon gasped, turning around. His outburst startled a nearby monkey, who dropped down in front of Rikku and Yuna.

"Key-mon?" Yuna said.

"Monkey!" Rikku cried, grinning.

"We won't let you off so easily this time!" the goon said.

"Aww, come on," I said, knocking my fist into his throat. He toppled over, gasping for breath. "Let's keep moving, 'kay?"

}{}{}{

The girls proceeded into the next area without any other real problems. When they reached the staircase entrance, Dylan got chills again, but this time Paine didn't say anything.

When the elevator hit the bottom level, the girls stepped off and approached Cid, who was standing there amongst a bunch of monkeys.

"Welcome!" he exclaimed. "Well, I'll be. If it isn't Yuna! Come to buy a clue from Uncle Cid, have you?"

"Fryd yna oui drehgehk! (What are you thinking!)" Rikku shouted, her voice squeaking.

"Huh?"

"Turning this place into a gift shop? Hello!" Rikku folded her arms across her chest and exhaled sharply.

"What, you got a bone to pick?" Cid asked, turning to Yuna.

"You bet I do!" Yuna replied angrily.

"So, what's eatin' ya?"

"Well, I can't really say, but..." Yuna paused, at a loss for words. "It's...just not right."

"It's more than 'not right,'" Dylan said, fuming. "This is the most sacred place in the world! Especially to us!" She motioned to herself, Yuna, and Rikku.

"It's like turning the ruins of Home into a theme park!" Rikku added.

"Huh?" Cid scratched his bald head, frowning. "I see your point."

Yuna was silent. She was so angry that she didn't want to say anything she didn't actually mean.

"C'mon, Yunie," Rikku said, pulling Yuna away from Cid. The Gullwings ascended the stairs to the platform where Yunalesca used to reside. Those memories were still very fresh.

_Two years ago, we cast off our beliefs here_, Yuna thought, looking around at the starry sky. _Our false hope_.

"I can't believe they just let people walk right up here," Dylan muttered, kicking a rock. "It kills the importance of this place."

Rikku opened her mouth to reply when suddenly a strange laugh cut her off.

"Muahahahaha!"

The girls looked around, pulling out their weapons instinctively.

"Who's there?" Rikku shouted.

"You have done well to make it this far, sphere hunters," the voice said. "But you will not have the treasure you seek so easily."

"So we fight," Paine replied.

"If you want the treasure, you must speak the password!"

"Monkey," Dylan said, raising an eyebrow.

"Aww, I was gonna say it," Rikku whispered, giggling.

"Uh...yes, good. Uh, okay! So now tell me: What is the meaning of life?"

"What?" Yuna slackened her fighting stance, looking at the sky. "Is that you, Isaaru? Isaaru?"

"It is Isaaru, right?" Yuna turned and asked Dylan in a low voice. She nodded, rolling her eyes.

"Is that your final answer?"

"The jig is up!" Rikku cried, hopping once. "Show yourself, Isaaru!"

"Uh...fine."

Isaaru appeared from a staircase down below. He had a puppy-dog look on his face, like he knew he was in trouble.

"Um, what are you doing?" Yuna asked him, putting her hands on her hips.

"My job. I bring excitement to those who've come to see this sacred place," the former summoner explained. "I, too, once travelled with the hope of seeing this place someday. Working here somehow fulfills that wish."

"Look, Isaaru, we kicked your ass once two years ago," Dylan said, frowning. "It'd be nice if we didn't have to do it again. Catch my drift?"

Isaaru frowned as well. "I must apologize for the quiz. Here's something for your trouble." From his robes he pulled out a garment grid. The girls celebrated quietly. "'Kay! Thanks for coming! And remember, the ruins of Zanarkand will be waiting!"

Isaaru ran off, chuckling to himself as Dylan face-palmed herself.

"Ex-summoners come in all flavors," Paine muttered. Yuna giggled.

"Apparently so," she said.

"We done here?" Rikku asked, looking around.

"The sphere oscillo-finder picked up a signal," Paine replied. "There should still be a sphere nearby."

"After all, we passed his test," Dylan added. "We might as well go claim the prize."

Without any further hesitation, the girls ran off down the stairs Isaaru had come from. There were no complicated mazes or anything of the sort, just a few hallways. Soon they had reached the sphere.

"Aha! Found you!" Rikku cried.

Just as she spoke, the floor beneath them rumbled, and a large fiend appeared.

"We're not alone," Paine said, sighing.

"Think we need a password?" Rikku asked, taking a couple of steps backward.

"How about 'kick...its...ass,'" Paine replied.

Later on, back aboard the Celsius, the Gullwings all stood around their latest find...

"I still can't believe this is only half of a sphere," Paine said with a groan.

"What a pain!" Rikku agreed. "Wonder where the other half is..."

"Any ideas?" Paine asked Dylan.

"Leblanc and her goons have the other piece," the brunette replied. "They're gonna try to break in here and take ours. And we're going to let them."

"What?"

"Trust me, it'll make breaking into her place ten times easier if they make the first move." Dylan shrugged, smiling. "Besides, when we go searching for the sphere again, we'll have the whole thing right away when we nab it."

"Sounds good to me!" Buddy said, putting his arms behind his head.

Suddenly an alarm sounded on the ship.

"Ehlusehk tydy! Gullwings, du ouin cdydeuhc! (Incoming data! Gullwings, to your stations!)" Brother shouted, hopping into the pilot's seat.

"Rao, yfacusa. (Hey, awesome.)"

"What's awesome?" Rikku asked Buddy.

"We're getting reports of an 'awesome sphere'? Looks like it's already drawn quite a crowd. The reports are from Kilika Woods."

"I want that sphere," Yuna said, smiling mischievously.

"Since when are you so evil, Yuna?" Dylan asked over Rikku and Brother's arguing.

"Huh? Oh, I'm not...not really."

The two girls grinned.

"Let's go!" Brother shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "Party! Party!"

Yuna could hardly believe how much fun she was having.

_If only you were here_, she thought, her face falling a little.


	10. Chapter 10: Chase

Chapter 10: Chase (youtube - watch?v=oGk41ZArFus)

Memo: After reading this chapter, you'll be into Chapter Two of the game, which you just lost. (XD) Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. This is also the end of the first third of this story. Things start getting really interesting in the second section, so hang on tight! Thanks for reading, and enjoy~!

FLASHBACK START

She was running as fast as she could, trying not to let the heavy gear slow her down. Gun in her hands, she kept her eyes forward, focused on the targets in front of her. They couldn't run much farther now.

Sure enough, the couple stopped at a dead end, embracing each other closely. She lowered her gun, and after a brief hesitation, fired. The bullets didn't fail her; all of them pierced Yuna and Tidus.

Dylan inhaled, sticking the gun to her own neck. She pulled the trigger.

Gasping, Dylan sat upright in bed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. It was late morning, but despite sleeping in, she didn't feel any better.

Gazing out her bedroom window, she pulled her knees to her chest, buried her face, and cried.

FLASHBACK END

"I wonder what this 'awesome sphere' is like," Yuna said as we walked through the newly rebuilt Kilika. I have to say, it screamed honeymoon destination, despite the crowds of young Youth Leaguers.

"Well, it's definitely awesome!" Rikku exclaimed, stopping to hi-five her cousin.

"It will be, won't it!"

Paine made a face to express her frustration.

"Keep this up and someone will beat us to it," she muttered, walking along with me.

"Sorry. Sorry!" Rikku trotted after us, Yuna following her. "Hey, wait up!"

"Hey, wanna visit Dona and Barthello before we go?" I asked, turning and walking backwards to talk to Yuna. "You might be surprised at what you see."

"Hmm...Paine, can you handle that?" Yuna asked with just a hint of sarcasm. Paine sighed.

"Whatever."

We continued through the winding docks of Kilika until I had led them to Dona's hut, where we arrived just in time to see Barthello being thrown out of the door.

"Dona!" he cried.

"My, my, my..." Dona's unmistakable voice travelled out into the air. "Fine, have it your way."

"Dona!" Barthello repeated, now sounding really desperate. Apparently he had a very limited vocabulary when it came to her.

"Go on, leave."

"Dona..." He sounded like a little kid, but when Dona didn't respond, he lifted his chin and ran off anyway. Yuna led the four of us inside the hut, and when Dona saw us, she smirked, putting a hand on her hip.

"Well, look who we have here," she said.

"Good to see you," Yuna said politely. Dona didn't say the same.

"What's with Barthello?" Rikku asked. Dona just sighed, seeming irritated.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," she answered. "I am with the Youth League and he is with New Yevon. It makes living together rather difficult."

"Gotta love politics," I muttered under my breath. It sounded like democrats and republicans. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"But you've been together so long..." Yuna murmured, sounding a little sad.

"To each his own," Paine said.

"Exactly," Dona agreed. "Butt out."

"...Ooookay then, we'll just leave," I said, waving to the girls to keep moving. "See you around, Dona."

"Hmph."

Despite the sour look on her face, her anger was half-hearted compared to her usual bitterness. But what did she expect? She just kicked out her other half; she probably felt pretty incomplete.

Anyway, soon we reached the forest edge, where it looked like a rally had gathered.

"These are all sphere hunters?" Yuna asked.

"I don't think so," Paine replied, shaking her head.

"Look over there," Rikku said, pointing to a man approaching the group. He walked with a cane, so I knew it was Nooj. "Who's that?"

"Nooj," Paine and I said in unison. I did not like Nooj in the game, and something just told me that wouldn't change in real life.

"Meyvn of the Youth League, right?" Yuna said, tilting her head.

"Greetings, friends!" Nooj called out to the crowd. A few of them cheered in response, but most everyone fell quiet to listen. "An important sphere is hidden in Kilika Temple. A sphere documenting the true history of Spira. We are here today to demand that New Yevon make the contents of that sphere public. Yet, as always, the voice seeking truth goes ignored. My friends, I ask you: why?"

No one answered back; everyone was quiet. They really must've respected him.

"Because New Yevon wants to hide the truth! Just as the temples did before them! I tell you now, this has gone on long enough! My friends, stand with me, and together we will bring the truth back to the people."

Right on cue, all of the people cheered wildly, like they were at a concert.

"But...let's not overdo it. Our opponents aren't as young as they used to be," Nooj added, and the crowd laughed in response.

"Not exactly what I had expected," Yuna said as Nooj hobbled away and the crowd dispersed.

"Hey, that's our sphere! Oh, poopie!" Rikku squealed, stomping her foot. "So what now? Call it quits?"

"What is this word, 'quit'?" I asked.

"Don't know about you, but I could use an awesome sphere," Paine added with a smirk.

"Hmm." Yuna thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay! They can't decide who it belongs to? I say we make it our own. Right?"

"Right!" we all cheered, exchanging hi-fives. Soon we were running into the forest, through the trees and angry league members.

"Good gravy, this place is packed," I said, frowning. "Good thing I know a shortcut~."

"You earned my respect back," Paine told me as I led the girls through the trees.

"When did I lose it?" I asked, sticking out my tongue. Paine thought for a moment.

"All those times you made us go back and help stupid people," she finally responded, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Hey, I can't help it if people's brains are the size of a shoopuf's around here, can I?"

}{}{}{

Finally, after passing through several guards and even more fiends, the Gullwings made it to the temple stairway. About halfway up, they ran into Dona and some other league members talking to a priest.

"Which is why I keep telling you..." the priest was saying, but Dona waved a hand in his face.

"Shut up," she said, unamused. "Just give us the sphere and we'll be on our way."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hey!" a league member shouted, holding a glowing object in his hand. "I found the sphere!" He raised it high above his head.

"There you have it," Dona stated, raising her eyebrows condescendingly.

"Whoa, the ground totally just moved," Rikku said, looking at her feet.

"You guys ready to fight?" Dylan asked her friends. They nodded.

"Even for a sphere," Yuna said.

"_Especially_ for a sphere," Paine corrected her.

Suddenly a large mech of some sort appeared on the scene, scaring many of the league members away, including the one holding the sphere. In his panic, he dropped the sphere.

"I had a little something prepared for just such an occasion," the New Yevon priest said. "Nice knowing you!"

"Why are we always cleaning up other people's messes?" Rikku asked, switching into the White Mage dresspheres.

"So we can get stuff," Dylan replied, laughing. "Duh."

"Works for me!"

"Didn't we fight one of these two years ago?" Yuna asked, frowning as she looked at the monster.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we did," Dylan said, gasping as she straightened up. "Let's see how fast we can dismantle it this time!"

"Didn't you do it in like two seconds last time?" Rikku asked with a giggle.

"Yup! This time, I'll make it one!"

"I'd love to see that," Paine said, stepping back.

"Okay~."

Rushing at the monster, Dylan summoned all of her strength and let loose, nailing all of the weak spots she could find. In a groan, the mech collapsed in a heap on the ground, completely disfigured.

"Very nice," Paine stated. "Very, very nice. You should do that more often."

Dylan let out a laugh. "Sure! It's kind of fun. I should teach you all karate."

"Let's not forget why we're here!" Rikku exclaimed, snatching up the sphere.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Dona asked, appearing from her hiding place.

"Actually, we're sphere hunters." Yuna shrugged, smiling.

"So?"

"Gullwings, let's go!" Yuna turned to Dona, shrugging again. "Sorry, Dona, the sphere is ours," she declared.

"Tough luck," Paine added as they fled to Celsius.

As soon as they climbed aboard, the girls started cracking up, hi-fiving each other as they headed to the bridge.

"Did you see their faces?" Rikku giggled, bouncing up and down. "They totally wet their pants!"

"Maybe we overdid it?" Yuna said, a big smile on her face.

"'Overdid it'?" Brother cried. "There is no such thing! The Gullwings shall be notorious throughout Spira!"

"They weren't all that happy," Paine said, crossing her arms.

"Huh?" Rikku seemed to have picked up on Paine's cross tone.

"Don't forget that notoriety can be a bad thing."

"So what?" Brother said, throwing his arms up and down. "I want to have fun!"

"Just make sure you don't do anything to land us in hot water, okay?" Buddy asked, shaking his head slowly.

"Awww..." Rikku pouted. "Where's the fun in being plain old regular sphere hunters?"

"Yeah! What she said!" Brother shouted, nodding at his sister.

"Oh, no..." Paine groaned.

"What?" Yuna said.

"Whenever Rikku and Brother agree...bad stuff happens," Shinra said, shaking his head.

"Hah! I can believe that!" Dylan exclaimed, grinning.

"That...can't be good," Yuna said quietly. She turned to Shinra, trying to ignore the madness Rikku and Brother were brewing. "How'd the sphere analysis go?"

"Hmmm..." Shinra hopped back into his chair, and both Yuna and Dylan walked over to his computer. "It's just a regular movie sphere. It doesn't appear to have any special functions." He glanced at the girls. "You wanna take a look?"

"Sure," Yuna answered, and Dylan nodded.

The Gullwings watched as the young man who looked like Tidus appeared on screen. He ran toward what looked to be a giant machina, then paused.

"You know, you're all I can count on to save Lenne," he said. Then he turned around, a small smile on his face. The picture became distorted after that.

"Fryd eh Spira ec dryd machina? (What in Spira is that machina?)" Brother gasped, holding his head in his hands dramatically. Yuna couldn't tell if he was impressed or afraid. She didn't really want to know.

"Any ideas?" Buddy asked Shinra.

"Not a one," Shinra replied. "But, as machina go, it looks extremely dangerous. Definitely a weapon."

"U tyr'd mega drec cbrana. (I don't like this sphere.)" Brother huffed a sigh.

_Who is Lenne_? Yuna wondered. _I've never heard of her before_.

"Gullwings!" Brother called out. "Front and center!" When he noticed everyone was already there, he paused. "So, uh... Let's give back that sphere, what do you say?"

"But we worked so hard to get it!" Rikku protested.

"That thing is uber bad news," Brother argued.

"What if we donated the sphere to the study of Spira's history?" Buddy suggested. "That's what being a sphere hunter was originally about, right?"

"It's a little late to be bringing that up," Paine pointed out.

"Yeah! We already swiped it!" Rikku cried, frowning.

"Well, I still don't want it!" Brother insisted. "We're giving it back! Now!"

To her own surprise, Yuna felt herself nod.

"You don't mind?" Rikku gasped.

"I've seen it," Yuna said.

"It's still pretty shameless to saunter up and give back the sphere we just stole," Buddy pointed out.

"Oui pi xiead! (You be quiet!)" Brother shouted.

"Our reputation is all but worthless if we do that," Paine added, obviously trying to take a stab at Brother, too. "Our leader's, too, no less."

"Crid ib! (Shut up!)"

}{}{}{

At this point, everyone was at each other's throats, including me. This part had made me so pissed in the game. Shame on Brother for his indecisiveness! That sphere wasn't even all that important in the long run anyway.

But I couldn't stay mad, because I knew Yuna would have to side with the Youth League to be able to get the complete story. So choosing that side would bring Tidus back, I hoped.

That was the only reason I would choose that side, actually. Nooj annoyed the hell out of me, and Baralai was adorable, and plus the people in New Yevon weren't such yahoos.

Anyway, we were all pretty flustered by this point.

"Well, now, this isn't any fun at all," Yuna said with a frown.

"I really gotta let off some steam," Rikku added, dancing in place as she usually does.

"Whaddaya got in mind?" Buddy asked the blonde, who stopped and looked at him, confused because she obviously didn't have an answer.

"Why don't we ask Yuna to dance?" Shinra suggested.

"Dance?" Yuna repeated.

"Oh?" I saw the little lightbulb go off in his head. "That's it! Yuna, you must dance! Our sanity depends on it!"

"...Only if Dylan dances with me."

"Sayyy whhaaaa?" Blinking, I looked at Yuna to make sure she was serious. She was. "Uhmm...sure, I guess?"

"Great! Hang tight while we get ready!" Yuna said, dragging me away by the arm.

"Sorry about that," she whispered as we walked to the cabin area. "Brother is such a creeper, so I didn't want to dance by myself."

"Understandable, but why me?"

"You sing and dance, right? You told us that once." Yuna shrugged, breaking eye contact. "I figured you might like the opportunity to do it again."

I didn't respond. She had a point, after all. I did miss performing a lot, and with Emi acting as she was, and Trisha not with us anymore, the possibility of me being on stage again was slim to none.

"Thanks," I finally said to her, managing a smile. "But, uhm, what are we going to sing?"

"Whatever you want." Yuna grinned. "I thought maybe you could teach me a few moves."

"Hah, you got it!"

Later that night, Yuna and I stood in front of our friends on the deck of the Celsius, both of us in our Songstress dresspheres. We danced around, Yuna sang some, and-upon request by Rikku-I did a dance from a Koda Kumi song.

After Yuna got tired, Rikku jumped up beside me and started dancing around, so I left her to it and followed Yuna.

"Who's Lenne?" she asked me.

"...That's not something I can tell you yet, sorry," I replied, frowning. "Sorry. But you two are connected."

"But, but I don't understand. There's so much I don't understand!" Yuna stomped her foot quietly. "Why...why am I so mad?"

"It's not you, it's..." I didn't finish my sentence; I knew Yuna would have the nightmare about her and Tidus tonight because of the dressphere, so I didn't want her to change out of it.

"It's what?"

"It's just...you're tired. You really need to get some rest."

Yuna turned and smiled at me appreciatively. I wonder if she knew I was lying through my teeth.

"Thanks, Dylan. I'm going to bed."

}{}{}{

She was running as fast as she could, but it felt like she was trekking through mud. Despite the fact that Tidus was practically pulling her along, she couldn't seem to keep up, let alone catch her breath. Either way, she kept running until they reached a dead end.

Suddenly lights flashed in their faces, and the guards that had been chasing them this whole time appeared. Yuna pulled Tidus close, looking him in the eyes. A tear escaped, but before she could wipe it away, she heard gunfire.

She didn't feel anything, but she was falling. Their bodies hit the floor at the same time, she on her back and he on his stomach. Her hand twitched in a last effort to survive, but then everything became quiet.

Bolting upright in bed, Yuna looked up to see Rikku, Paine, and Dylan standing above her.

"What-"

"What 'what'?" Paine asked. Yuna lowered her gaze.

"It must've been a dream," she murmured.

"A dream's a dream."

"Blame it on your new jammies," Rikku giggled, pointing out the fact that Yuna was still in her Songstress dressphere.

"By the way, we're having a briefing in the bridge," Dylan said, jabbing her thumb in the direction of the elevator. "Better hurry and get dressed. Brother is already pissy."

_Again_? Yuna wanted to say, but instead she only nodded, still dumbstruck by the vivid nightmare.

Despite feeling off, Yuna appeared in the bridge, and the meeting began.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Returning the sphere is all well and good, but who do we return it to?" Buddy pointed out, shrugging a bit.

"With the Youth League and New Yevon, it's a lose-lose situation," Shinra added, popping up over the back of his chair.

"What do you think, Yuna?" Brother asked.

"I'll follow your orders, Leader!" she replied, smiling.

"Uh..." Brother paused a moment, then smiled triumphantly. "Aha! As leader, I order Yuna to decide!"

"Hey, that's cheating!" Yuna sighed angrily. How was she supposed to decide?

Then she realized-she wasn't. Dylan was.

"So, Dylan, how about it?" she said, looking at her friend, who drumming her fingers on the railing. Dylan raised an eyebrow.

"Youth League," she replied. "It'll give you more chances that way."

"Chances?" Rikku echoed, but Dylan didn't reply. Yuna knew what she was talking about.

"I've decided," she announced to Brother. "We'll give the sphere to the Youth League!"

"Works for me!" Brother cried, hopping over to his seat. "Let's go with it! Gullwings, move out!"

"You sure about this?" Paine asked Dylan, who nodded.

"I know you don't like it, but if Yuna wants to bring _him_ back, this is how it'll have to be."

}{}{}{

After our little rendezvous at Mushroom Rock Road with the Youth League, we came back to the Celsius to find Leblanc, Ormi, Logos, and Emi had been there, and our half a sphere was gone. It was unanimous: we had to get that sphere back, and we were going to show the Syndicate who was boss once and for all.

We also visited Besaid Island, Kilika, and Luca, but nothing too interesting happened there.

Along the Mi'ihen Highroad, we met Calli, who was just a little kid when we'd seen her before. We helped her catch a Chocobo, kill the Chocobo Eater, and eventually she came on the ship with us, bringing along said yellow bird, which I aptly named Big Bird.

Everything was going very smoothly, but despite the fact that by doing all this stuff, I still felt very bored. Very alone. I knew we were getting closer and closer to bringing Tidus back, but that wasn't making me feel any better.

I think it was because I had no one to share the experience with. Emi totally should've been with us, having a blast, but she wasn't. And I didn't even know where Addy was. So, for a while longer, I would have to be alone.


	11. Chapter 11: Want tickets?

Chapter 11: Want tickets? To what? The gunshow. (youtube - watch?v=m5yXRKgVses)

Memo: Youkoso, minna~! We're in the second of three parts~! Yay you for sticking with it this far. Now things will pick up the pace a bit, starting this chapter. Hope you're enjoying it. Thanks for reading~!

FLASHBACK START

"See him yet?"

Dylan brought the binoculars down from her eyes, glancing at her friend Bryan. It was the most spectucular sports event of the school year: the Oaken Bucket game. Purdue University vs. Indiana University. Two big, big rivals.

"He probably bailed," Dylan finally replied, half-smiling. Gritting her teeth, she tightened her IU scarf around her neck.

"Or he was afraid to come to this side of the stadium."

Chuckling quietly, Dylan scanned the Purdue side of the stadium. Addy was supposed to be somewhere in the black and gold mass. He went to Purdue, after all, and no college student in their right mind would miss out on this.

"Hmm, maybe he didn't come after all. It's already halfway over," Bryan said, squinting into the distance.

Glancing up at the big-screens, Dylan caught sight of the camera on her side looking right at her. She stuck out her tongue, and the IU side cheered. On the Purdue camera, ironically, was her brother, face painted black with gold P's on his cheeks. He stuck out his tongue, too, and she grinned.

"Oh, he's here all right," she laughed, tilting her head in amusement.

FLASHBACK END

"Hey, it's the Gullwings!" a Youth League guard shouted when the girls walked near the Youth League headquarters, right through Mushroom Rock Road.

"Well, I'll be," the other said. "So you really are gonna join the Youth League!"

"Lady Yuna!" Yaibal cried, appearing from the side. "Thank you!"

"Umm...for what?" Yuna murmured.

"Surely this is the day that you will honor us by joining the Youth

League? What an occasion! I have long dreamed that this day would come," Yaibal told them.

"Sir!" the guards shouted, running off.

"Well actually, that's not why we're here..." Yuna began.

"Don't worry, the Youth League will give the Gullwings a grand welcome. Please proceed to headquarters immediately!" Yaibal saluted. "If you'll excuse me, I have duties to attend to."

The girls looked at each other, unamused.

"Well, we might as well go on in if we have an escort," Rikku said, shrugging. The others nodded half-heartedly.

As they walked through the rocky path toward headquarters, the girls had guards surrounding them the whole time, so it was a miracle when they suddenly heard a transmission coming in.

"Buddy here. We're picking up some weak sphere waves near you."

"Hm, I don't see anything," Rikku said, looking around briefly.

"It's probably in the ravine," Buddy told them. "Do you see a way down?"

"Okay, we'll take a look," Yuna replied.

"Be careful!" Brother added.

"Ever the worrier, that one," Rikku muttered as the girls snuck down to the ravine, ditching the guards.

"We were down here before, right?" Yuna asked Dylan.

"Yeah, this place is called the Den of Woe," she answered, leading them over to the entrance. "Speaking of woe..."

The girls peered around the corner to see Nooj standing there, standing at the door.

"Hmph," he grunted, sensing their presence.

"Is something the matter?" Yuna asked him. Nooj turned around and looked at them, a frown on his face.

"Oh. It's you." His tone didn't change for better or worse. "As you can see, this place has been sealed. But just this one isn't enough."

"That's the end of that, then," Yuna said nonchalantly.

"No," Rikku cut in, sensing her cousin had an idea. "It's not, Yunie."

"Oh! I know!" Yuna exclaimed, snapping her fingers with a cheeky smile. "Why don't you let the Gullwings take on this mission?"

"You'll find the other spheres?" Nooj asked, incredulous.

"On my honor as a sphere hunter!" Yuna cried. "Of course, we won't do it for free..."

"Very well, I leave it in your hands," Nooj finally said. "Here, hold on to this sphere."

"Thanks!" Rikku squealed, holding out her hands. But instead, like a secret gesture, Nooj handed the sphere to Paine, who looked grim.

"Perhaps this is fate?" he said quietly.

"I don't think so," Paine replied monotonously.

Nooj said nothing else, just walked away. Rikku bounced over to Paine the moment they were alone.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You know him?" she cried.

"Why should you care?" Paine responded gruffly.

"Come on, there was something between you two, right?"

"Rikku. I'll say this once, okay? I consider you friends, and I trust you. I even respect you." That was kind of a shock. "All right? I would think that'd be enough."

"Well, yeah, but...don't you ever want to know more about your friends?"

"Not really, though Dylan kind of weirds me out from all she knows."

"Lo siento," Dylan said, grinning.

"Well I do." Rikku grabbed Paine's hand gently, Paine held her gaze. "I do wanna know more about you."

"What for? Who cares what happened in the past?"

"There was something!" Yuna exclaimed, gasping. "Come on, Paine! You can tell us! What happened?"

Paine's frown deepened with her frustration. "You disappoint me, Yuna. I thought you were above all that."

"Well, not anymore. I like asking questions."

"You'll lose friends."

"You think so?" Yuna glanced at Dylan, who stepped back, trying to stay out of it. "...Never mind, then."

"Aww!" Rikku released Paine's hand, turning around on one foot. "And I was looking forward to hearing the good stuff! Confessions of a shady past!"

"You're a pain," Paine said, sighing. "Minus four respect points, Rikku. Dylan, you get her four for not saying anything."

"Haha, sweet~!" Dylan cheered as Rikku pouted.

"How many points left?" she asked.

"Forty-seven."

"That's not a whole lot, is it?"

Paine ignored her, walking toward the sealed door.

"Why don't you figure out how to get in here instead of inside my head?" she asked.

"Maybe we need spheres like that one to open it?" Yuna suggested. Dylan nodded in approval.

"I kinda still wanna know what happened," Rikku piped up.

"That's forty-six."

}{}{}{

After we talked to Elma and Lucil about a few things, we departed for Djose Temple. Rikku seemed excited, despite her disagreement with Paine. Maybe she thought Gippal would be there?

Well, she was wrong. We walked all the way to that stupid temple, and the only people we ran into were Syndicate goons.

"That's weird. Where did we drop that thing?" one of the fem-goons said. "We gotta find that sphere or the boss'll be furious! We might even...get the heel!"

"Why don't you stop complaining and help me look?" the other said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey, did you hear that?" Yuna said, turning to us. "Let's find it first!"

"And we can score a uniform, too," I said, grinning.

"Sounds good to me!"

"Someone's turning Yuna into a bad girl," Paine said.

"Who?" Rikku asked.

"Me," I replied, winking. "Just kidding. Let's go!"  
>"Actually, Dylan, you kind of are a bad influence," Yuna said with a laugh as we began to backtrack in search of the sphere.<p>

"That's what makes life interesting," I assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Brats like me."

"Oooo, shiny~!"

"I think Rikku just found the sphere," Paine told us as the blonde skipped over to a glowing object resting against the rocks. She held it up, the sphere reflected in her green eyes.

"So that's where it was!" We turned to see Ormi walking toward us, not looking the least bit angry. "Sorry for the trouble. I appreciate yous finding it for us, though."

Rikku just looked at him, just like the rest of us. Was he serious? I still don't really know for sure.

"What? You're not giving it back?" When Yuna shook her head "no," Ormi's face contorted like a little kid ready to cry. "The nerve!"

"The Gullwings!" Logos appeared from around the corner, hurrying over to Ormi.

"These meanies won't give me back the sphere!" Ormi whined.

"So then we take it back," Logos replied, pulling out his guns.

"Ah!"

"And on that note...take it back!"

Suddenly one of the fem-goons from earlier jumped down from up above. Like that would really give them any advantage.

"Okay, ladies, you know what to do!" Rikku cried, pocketing the sphere as she switched into the Gun Mage dressphere.

"With pleasure," Paine said, taking a swipe with her sword at Ormi.

"Bam!" I shouted, pointing my finger like a gun at Logos. He immediately was struck with lightning. I seriously loved being a Black Mage.

"Dylan, I'm going to use your dressphere," Yuna told me.

"Mine?" I echoed, not understanding.

"Shinra made a dressphere based on your fighting skills. He just finished it, so this should be interesting."

"Boo, it won't be the same," I told her as she switched from the Gunner dressphere to mine. "...Though I must say, the outfit is pretty kick-ass."

Yuna grinned, standing there in a purple version of what I normally wore: long gloves with leather toward the hands, metal shoulder pads, a striped corset and matching striped leggings, and knee-high warrior boots, perfect for combat.

"Not bad, huh? You have good taste!"

"Thanks!" I said, blasting Logos with another Thundera spell. Poor guy was definitely getting picked on now that the fem-goon was ko'd. "But remind me to get on Shinra later for not telling me he was going to duplicate my fashion sense."

Between the four of us, especially with Yuna in her new epic dressphere (ahem), Ormi and Logos were running off in no time, leaving their lesser comrade and the sphere behind.

"Let's nab the uniform," Rikku said, turning the unconcious fem-goon over. I didn't really want to see who was behind the mask, in case it was Emi.

It wasn't, though, just a random girl. We left her lying in shorts and a tank top and took off with the goods. I still feel bad, humiliating her like that, but what else was I supposed to do? Those uniforms had to come from somebody. We had to break in somehow.

}{}{}{

The Gullwings headed off to Moonflow after stopping by the Celsius to drop off the uniform. After Dylan griped at Shinra and Yuna tried out her new special dressphere, they decided to end their day with Tobli. Apparently, his show was coming along quite well, but the advertising end of production was slacking majorly.

"But the tickets aren't selling!" Tobli was saying, pacing wildly. "We'll end up with an empty house! That's like a full house with none of the people! What do you say? Will you help me? Sell tickets, that is. I'll cut the base price in half! Just sell, sell, sell for big, big profits!"

"Ooh!" Rikku squealed, tugging on Yuna's arm. "Come on, Yunie. Let's give it a shot!"

"Okay, sounds like fun!" Yuna agreed, nodding.

"With the Gullwings in charge, we'll sell out for sure!" Tobli cheered. "Imagine the crowds! The rest is up to you."

He handed each girl a decent-sized bundle of tickets and a pouch to put the gil in.

"We should split up," Paine suggested. "We'll get this done faster that way."

"Why does it matter? You tired already?" Rikku teased her.

"Forty-five."

"Poopie~!"

"I think it sounds like a good deal," Yuna cut in. "Come on, Dylan, let's go this way."

The two brunettes laughed as they left Paine with Rikku dancing around her.

"Yuna, you're so evil and I love you," Dylan said, grinning as she glanced over her shoulder at the other two.

"I know. But they might as well get used to each other, right?" Yuna answered with a modest shrug.

"Whatever you say. Let's just get around to selling these tickets." Dylan motioned toward the bench. "You get those people over there, and I'll talk to these people along the bank." Dylan started to walk away, then called out, "I'll meet you over there!"

Yuna smiled, nodding. Putting on her most pleasant airs, she approached the first person on the bench.

"Hello! Would you like to purchase tickets to Tobli's grand extravaganza?" The woman glanced up at Yuna, only half-interested. "It'll be a blast!..."

With lines like that, Yuna worked her way around and down the bench until she reached a young man around her age. He seemed friendly enough.

"Hi there!" she exclaimed, smiling. The guy smiled back, closing his eyes. His eagerness almost made Yuna nervous. "Would you like to buy a ticket for the show?"

"The show?" the guy asked, looking up at Yuna with familiar, brown puppy-dog eyes. "For Tobli?"

"Yes, that show," she said, still nervous.

The guy smiled again, running a hand over his short, blonde hair. "Well, I guess so. But only if you guys are performing."

Yuna's breath caught in her throat.

"I, um..."

"You!"

Thankful for the familiar voice, Yuna watched as Dylan marched over to the young man.

"You are totally not!" she cried, looking amused and pissed at the same time.

"Um yeah, I totally am," the guy replied, laughing. "S'up, Dylan?"

"You know him?" Yuna asked, a little relieved.

"Do I _know _him?" Dylan put her hands on her hips, her lips curling up at the ends. "This is my _brother_!"

}{}{}{

Addy laughed as Yuna's expression changed from one of relief to one of sheer confusion.

"Your brother?" she repeated.

"How long have you been here?" I asked Addy, who clasped his hands behind his head with a smirk. "Why did you come find us sooner? Do you even know how much I missed you?" There were tears coming, a mix of anger and happiness. "I needed you!"

Addy seemed to pick up on the fact that I was serious, because he stood up and smiled at me apologetically.

"Dyl, hear me out," he said. "I came here looking for a way to bring you here. But once I got here, then I couldn't leave. So I've been staying with the Hypello again, like last time. One of them mentioned you guys, so I've been here every day since."

"Wait, you've been to Spira before?" Yuna asked him.

"Yeah, when Dylan was here last time, I was too," he explained. He was probably inwardly cheering at the fact he was actually talking to Yuna. "I stayed here in Moonflow pretty much the whole time, though."

"Have you seen Emi?" I asked him. Maybe he knew what was going on?

"No. Is she here, too?"

"Yeah," I said, disappointed. "But she's with the Syndicate."

"Seriously. What's up with that?"

"I don't know." I smiled, hugging my brother. "I'm just glad you're not all weird like her now. It's beyond good to see you again."

"Same here. I'm glad you finally got here."

"But, uhmm..." I glanced at Yuna. "Are you going to stay here, or what?"

"He can come with us," Yuna suggested. Damn. She sounded almost eager.

"Really?" Addy said, raising his eyebrows slightly. He seemed just as surprised as I was. I didn't really know if she was doing me a favor or herself one. Or both.

"Really. We can always use the help." Yuna glanced at the tickets in her hand. "Like right now. Wanna help us sell tickets?"

"Sure, why not? Do I get part of the profit?" Addy winked. Oh, my brother. Always the wanna-be charmer.

Yuna seemed to find it amusing, at least.

"No. But you get to ride our airship."

"Deal."

After we had hit up every stinkin' person in Moonflow with tickets, we returned to Tobli.

"Well, did you sell?" he asked. "The tickets, I mean."

"You better believe it!" Rikku exclaimed. I noticed Paine looked exhausted.

"Every last one!" Yuna added with pride.

"Splendid, simply splendid! Did you hear that, everybody? Oh yes, oh yes, before I forget. I've got to pay you your profits!"

"Mmm, money," I said, smiling as Tobli handed Yuna a large pouch.

"Lastly, a little bonus for selling all the tickets."

"I guess it's worth trying anything," Paine muttered as Tobli handed over a garment grid and a new accessory.

"Yup-yup. It was an absolutely amicable arrangement," Tobli said cheerfully. "Everybody's happy!"

"We're really looking forward to the show!" Rikku said, grinning.

"See you around!" Yuna added, walking away before Tobli could change his mind about the gifts.

"I can't believe you've really been here all this time," I told Addy, stuck between being mad and happy.

"Jealous?" he asked with a laugh.

"Duh!"

"Who are you?" Rikku asked, trotting in front of my brother.

"This is my brother, Addison," I said, smiling.

"Does he know everything, too?"

"Yup."

Suddenly a feeling of relief overwhelmed. Finally, someone else on my side who was omniscient, too. But, then again, how much had I changed the game already? And would Addy joining us change things, too?

}{}{}{

Yuna glanced over at Addison one more time before boarding the Celsius. She should've recognized the similarities between him and Dylan when they first met. But they really were pretty different.

_Well, I guess I shouldn't judge too soon_, she told herself. _Who knows how close they are. They seem somewhat alike, but I don't really know him that well_.

"Yo."

Yuna froze mid-step.

"Sorry," Addison said, appearing from behind her. "Didn't mean to scare you. Juuust wanted to know where I could get some food in this place."

Yuna let out a little laugh.

"You really are Dylan's brother," she responded, smiling.

"That obvious, huh?"

Yuna nodded enthusiastically, and Addison chuckled.

"...So?" He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Are you going to answer my question or not?"

"Oh, sorry. Yes, it's in the cabin area. Do you need me to show you the way?"

"You don't have to, but I wouldn't mind having some company."

Yuna resisted the temptation to laugh. He really was like Dylan after all.

_I have things I need to do_, she thought, _but I can do it later_.

"If you say so," Yuna replied, walking away. Addison followed her.

"So how has my sister been?" he asked her. He was tall, Yuna realized.

"Fine, as far as I can tell," Yuna answered. "Though I do know that she's still a little upset at the whole thing with her friend Emi." She frowned up at Addison. "Were they pretty close?"

"Oh yeah. They've known each other since birth, basically. But I think Emi has always been jealous of Dylan, and now it's finally starting to show." He shook his head slowly. "They're so damn competitive, those two. Hard-headed and competitive. That worked for them before, but now that they're on opposite sides...well, I don't know what to think about it too much."

Addison made a face. "Let's talk about something more pleasant," he said.

"Well, we're at the cabin," Yuna told him, a little disappointed.

"So?"

_Can't beat that logic_, Yuna realized, sitting on a barstool.


	12. Chapter 12: Lies

Chapter 12: Lies (youtube - watch?v=UFg_g31WLq8)

Memo: Don't you need me doushite na no~? Koda Kumi's music reigns once again in this story. Hope you're enjoying Addison, hehe. So here we go, more story for ye! Enjoy, and thanks much!

FLASHBACK START

Lulu smiled at Dylan, who smiled back. It had been a fun night: talking, catching up, and lots of laughter.

"You've really changed in two years," Lulu said to the brunette, who shrugged.

"Not really," she admitted. "Everyone seems to think so, though."

"You look a lot different, that's for sure, ya?" Wakka added.

"We didn't even recognize her at first," Rikku chimed in, nodding.

"In what way do I look that much different?" Dylan asked, half-smiling. "I feel like I look the same as always."

"You don't, though. You look much more mature," Lulu insisted. Dylan only shook her head, smiling.

"Let's change the subject," she said, and immediately Yuna diverted the attention onto something else. She could Dylan was uncomfortable, but it was only because she was lying through her teeth. She had changed, both inside and outside. But in order to go unnoticed, she had to act the same, no matter what.

FLASHBACK END

"So, let's see it."

I flinched at the sound of Addison's voice from up above me. Looking up, I saw him standing at the railing of the bed area of the cabin.

"Quit being a creeper," I snapped as he jumped down to my level. "What are you talking about, anyway?"

"You know. Your tat."

I flinched again, looking around to make sure no one else was listening or paying attention. The coast was clear.

"Why do you want to see it?" I asked him, lowering my voice.

"Just to see it." His grin broadened. "To see if you're telling the truth or just bluffing."

"Please, I would not bluff about something this...meaningful," I sighed, turning around and lifting my curls off of my neck.

"Very nice ink-work," he commented.

"I thought so, too."

Moving my hand, I let my hair fall back down.

"Did it hurt?" he asked, cocking his head.

"A bit," I confessed, grimacing slightly.

"Sorry."

"But I've been through worse," I reminded him, shaking my hands out. Those scars were still fresh as day. Stupid final aeon.

"Guess so." Addison grinned again, putting his hands behind his head as he habitually did. "So, guess what my job is on the ship?"

"I can only imagine," I muttered, beginning to walk away.

"No, seriously, guess."

"The maid?"

"Nope. I get to help Brother pilot the ship."

I turned to look at my brother to see if he was joking.

"Does Brother know this?" I asked with a laugh.

"Dunno, but he'll deal."

"Who told you this?"

"Yuna."

I slapped my hand to my forehead.

"Look, Addy, you need to stop creeping on my friends," I groaned. "This includes brown-nosing."

"Why do you care?" he asked bluntly. I ignored him and walked away. "Hey, I was talking to you, brat!"

"Not listening!" I shouted, laughing as I ran off.

The truth was, I didn't have an answer to his question. Why did I care, especially about Yuna? I mean, after all, I was in this for myself, and so far so good.

}{}{}{

"Yay rain!" Dylan cheered when the girls stepped off the ship into the Thunder Plains.

"Let's go play!" Rikku added, skipping off into the darkness with Dylan.

"How old are they, again?" Paine asked Yuna, who grinned.

"Sometimes I wonder about that, too," she admitted, shrugging. "Oh well. Let's just get going."

Yuna had briefly stopped by Guadosalam before passing through the plains, and the temptation to visit the Farplane was still pretty strong. For some reason, though, she didn't walk over and try to enter. Something stopped her.

_I just don't know anymore_, she thought, keeping an eye on her more energetic friends.

"Hey, hey, look!" Rikku shouted, running back over to Yuna and Paine.

"Cid is here," Dylan said, lowering her voice and pointing. Sure enough, Uncle Cid was standing off by himself, his back to them.

"Should we go talk to him?" Paine asked, and Dylan nodded.

The girls made their way over to the Al Bhed, who wore a pathetic frown on his face.

"Uncle Cid?" Yuna called out when they were just a few feet away. "What are you doing out here?"

"What, ya blind?" he snapped. "Can't ya see I'm trying to sulk?"

Rikku made a disgusted face. "Come on, Yunie, let's go," she said, already frustrated.

"But..."

"Leave him!"

Grabbing Yuna's arm, Rikku dragged her cousin away and back onto the path they had been traveling on.

"I wonder what's wrong..." Yuna murmured.

"It's Zanarkand," Rikku replied. "He's all bent out of shape 'cause you told him off."

"That's mature," Paine said.

"Doesn't that explain a few things, though?" Dylan pointed out.

"Hey!"

With a laugh, Dylan took off into the rain again, Rikku chasing after her.

Soon the girls had run all the way to Macalania Woods, and finally Rikku caught up to Dylan, tackling her.

"You are such a hypocrite!" she cried, giggling.

"I know, I know," Dylan said, prying the blonde off of her.

"Hello, Gullwings," came a voice. The girls turned to see a Hypello standing there, waving. "Good to shee yoo."

"Oh, it's Tobli's assistant," Rikku said, hopping over to him.

"Would yoo mind doing ush a favor?" he asked.

"What kind of favor?" Paine asked, suspicious.

"Chief's throwing a feshtibble. Shinging and danshing and

shellabebration?" The Hypello danced in place, then lowered his arms. "We're sheeking musishuns for a troupe, yesh? Where could they be?"

"So you want us to help you find them?" Yuna finished.

"We ish counting on yoo, Gullwings?"

"Shure, why not?" Rikku giggled quietly. The Hypello didn't seem to get that Yuna was poking fun at him.

"Thank yoo," he said. "If yoo find musishun, give them this letter, yesh?"

Paine took the letter out of his hand and looked at Dylan.

"Where to?" she asked.

"The spring where the fayth are...used to be," Dylan corrected herself, frowning. "C'mon, I'll lead."

The four girls trekked over to the spring, looking around and taking things in. It seemed like the woods really were starting to die off. Something that used to be so beautiful was now fading.

_Just like my memories_, Yuna realized, frowning.

"Hello, Bayra," Dylan said when they entered the spring.

"What business do you have with me?" he asked, glancing up at them.

"We have a letter from someone named Tobli," Yuna began, holding out the letter. Bayra didn't take it, but he didn't seem disinterested.

"Do you think you can help him out?" Rikku inquired.

"I must speak with my friends," Bayra responded. "It is not my right to decide for them. A moment, please."

Bayra strummed his harp quietly, and the woods around them darkened. The aura was still normal, but things seemed quieter.

"How strange," he murmured, slowing his playing. "I cannot hear their voices. Their minds must be closed." As he spoke, the woods lightened again.

"What do you mean?" Yuna asked.

"The spirits of my friends often become butterflies and drift through the woods," Bayra explained. "If it is no trouble, why don't you seek them out and ask them yourself?"

The girls turned to each other, tightening their circle.

"Should we split up again?" Rikku asked.

"Might as well," Dylan said with a shrug.

"C'mon, Yuna," Paine said quickly, grabbing the former summoner's arm and pulling her away.

"Looks like it's us two!" Rikku cheered, and the girls hi-fived each other enthusiastically.

"We'll look for Pukutak!" Dylan shouted after her friends. They nodded, disappearing into the woods.

}{}{}{

"Okay," Rikku said when Yuna and Paine left us, "let's get started!"

"Indeed!"

Ambling off, the two of us walked through the woods slowly, taking our time to take in the peaceful sights. Although we didn't say anything, we both knew that there wasn't much time left to see this place still looking magical.

Suddenly, totally out of nowhere, I tripped over something. I don't know if it was a rock or me being clumsy, but I fell flat on my face. Rikku gasped, alarmed, then busted up laughing.

"Sorry," she apologized, helping me up. "That was just so funny..."

"It's okay," I insisted. "I would've laughed, too."

"Is your neck okay?"

"Eh?" I looked at Rikku, confused. "Nothing happened to my neck."

"But, there was a mark there, on the back of your neck."

Then it hit me-she had seen a glimpse of my tattoo. Thankfully, she couldn't easily tell what it was.

"Oh, that? I have a tattoo there," I told her. She gasped, her green eyes widening.

"That is sooooo cool!" she cried, dancing in place. "You're more Al Bhed than I am, Dylan! Can I see it?"

"No," I replied quickly, taking a step back.

"Huh?" Rikku cocked her head like a sad puppy. "Why not?"  
>"It's there so no one else besides me knows it's there."<p>

"Why? That seems so pointless."

"Ehh, it's more symbolic than anything," I said, shrugging a little. Just as I started to turn to walk away, I felt a hand rip my hair off of the back of my neck.

"HEY!" I shouted, pulling myself away from her. I felt a few hairs leave my scalp.

"...I don't understand," Rikku said quietly, looking at me with nothing but innocence on her face. "That's the same symbol Yuna wears, isn't it?"

"..."

"And Tidus wore it, too."

"...Let's just go find Pukutak, okay?" I pleaded. But Rikku had already come to the conclusion; I could see it written on her face.

"You love him, too?" she asked, a little surprised. Well, why shouldn't she be? When I didn't reply, she sighed. "I can't even imagine how hurt you must be."

"Just promise me you won't tell anyone," I insisted, grabbing her shoulders. "Please, Rikku."

"Oh, no, I won't tell anyone, promise!" She smiled genuinely. "I just...never saw it before. But now that you say it, it makes sense."

"Yuna will hate me if she knows," I added. "Please keep it to yourself."

"I won't tell. Besides, it's between you two anyway. She's my cousin, but you're my best friend, so I won't choose. I'll just let you guys fight it out in the end." Rikku shrugged, sighing. "Besides, Yuna is trying to move on."

I nearly choked on my spit. "She what?"

"Ever since you told her that sphere wasn't of Tidus, she's been in this emotional swing. I think she's questioning whether it's worth it."

_Of course it is_, I wanted to say, but I kept that to myself. Rikku already knew too much.

"I promise, I won't tell a soul." Rikku grabbed my hand, pulling me along. "Now, c'mon, let's go find Pukutak!"

After we had reunited the musicians, the four of us spoke to Bayra one more time for the day.

"My friends do not seem to object," he said with a small smile. "We will help your Tobli."

"We shall present a great event!" Pukutak added.

"We'll give 'em all a real gas, ye'll see, eh?" Donga assured us.

"Yes," Bayra murmured. "It will be a brilliant finale for our doomed kind."

"Doomed?" Yuna repeated, frowning deeply.

"If only all the fayth had stayed, the woods would never ever fade..." Pukutak whispered.

"But it looks like we'll be meetin' our end someday soon," Donga said.

Yuna lowered her head and said nothing else. If she was as devastated by that as she was, I didn't want to imagine her reaction if Rikku spilled the beans.

_This sucks so bad_, I thought, pouting. _That's the whole reason I got the tattoo there. So no one would see. Man_!

I glanced at Rikku, who was talking to Paine animatedly.

_I get the feeling I won't sleep well tonight_...


	13. Chapter 13: Journeys

Chapter 13: Journeys (youtube - watch?v=D21Y8HKWOrY)

Memo: I can't believe how far we are into this now. Crazy stuff. Now for an interesting flashback. Enjoy, and as always, thanks for reading. :D

**Also, updates in the month of November will be a little slow at times because of my participation in NaNoWriMo. Thank you for being understanding.**

FLASHBACK START

It was the darkest night she could ever remember from even childhood. And for the first time in her life, she was spending it alone in a place she'd never been before. A place she'd only heard stories about.

"Damn..." she murmured, wrapping her arms around her body for warmth. She was cold, despite the humidity. It didn't have much to do with the temperature, she figured. It was more the fact that she was so tired, and so lonely, and so frustrated with the fact that her luck was already taking a turn for the worse.

"Well, boys, another job well done."

Perking up, Emi walked around the bushes, trying to be quiet.

There, just around the corner, was a blonde with two men standing in front of her. She was holding a yellow sphere out to them.

"This is exactly the kind of sphere we need," Leblanc said as Logos and Ormi stared at the sphere, then at Leblanc.

_Then it's what I want, too_, Emi realized, ducking down quickly. Leblanc whipped around.

"Who's there?" she cried. "Show yourself!"

Emi waited a moment, then crawled slowly out of the bushes.

"Goodness, you're as dark as night yourself," Leblanc said.

"I need that sphere," Emi heard herself say. "It's for my friend."

"Your friend?" Logos scoffed. "You're not a very clever thief, are you?"

"I'm not trying to be one. I seriously need that sphere. Any sphere," she insisted. Leblanc held her gaze steady.

"Well, if you're so insistent on having spheres all to yourself, why don't you simply join us?"

"..." Emi stopped for a moment. What was she supposed to do? Say no? This would be a perfect opportunity. "Fine. If you'll let me."

FLASHBACK END

"This is it," Clasko gasped when the girls landed in the Calm Lands. "Something tells me this is where I'll find my calling!" He spun around, looking at Yuna with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I am in your debt, Lady Yuna!"

"So...what exactly did you do again?" Rikku whispered when Clasko ran off.

"Who cares. We're rid of one of the annoying people on our ship," Paine pointed out. "That's a cause for celebration."

"Save it for later," Dylan said, pointing to the campsite. "See the little Ronso kids?"

"Lian and Ayde?"

"Yeah."

Smiling, Yuna walked over to the kids, her friends trailing behind. When they finally reached the tent, the Ronso children turned to look at her.

"High Summoner Yuna, I am Lian Ronso," one said. "We have not met."

"Nice to meet you, Lian," Yuna said. She nodded at the quieter Ronso kid. "And this is?"

"Ayde Ronso."

"Hello, Ayde." But Ayde just nodded and let out a small grunt.

"We are happy to meet you," Lian assured her. "Lian and Ayde hear many stories of Lady Yuna. Elder Kimahri tells of your journey together. But please, do not speak to elder of meeting Lian and Ayde today."

"Why not?" Yuna asked.

"Oh!" Rikku gasped, finally putting two and two together. "You must be the two kids who left Mt. Gagazet, right? Kimahri's really worried."

"I'm a little concerned you're just now realizing this..." Dylan muttered. Rikku shrugged, embarrassed.

"Should we take them back?" Paine asked Yuna. Yuna turned to Paine, frowning.

"Yeah," she replied after thinking a moment.

"Too late!" Rikku cried, pointing. The kids were making a break for it.

"What?" Yuna gasped, turning.

"They can really move!"

"Well, since that was an epic waste of time, want to go check on the idiot we ditched back at the cave?" Paine asked.

"That's probably best," Dylan admitted, sighing.

Actually, it was the next thing they were supposed to do on the checklist of requirements Dylan had in her head, but making it sound nonchalant made everyone, especially Paine, happier.

"Aww, now what am I supposed to do?"

When they reached the caves, they could hear Clasko's complaint echoing through the air. Running inside, they found him standing in an empty room. "I was sure this would be the perfect spot, but...it's infested with fiends!"

"I get the feeling he wants something," Paine muttered.

"If only there weren't any friends here..." Grabbing his hair, he pulled on it roughly. "Argh! I'm so close, so close!"

"Let's help him out before he goes bald," Rikku said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"Wait, is this one of the required things we have to do?" Paine asked Dylan, refusing to move until she heard the verdict.

"Yup," the brunette murmured, walking away with a half-smile.

"Don't even act like you enjoy this."

Rikku glanced at Dylan with a knowing smile, and they walked further into the dungeon together. For once, Dylan was grateful for the peace of mind. Someone else knew.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Clasko shouted as the girls finished off the last fiends. "At last my dream can come true!"

"What dream?" Rikku asked, cocking her head.

"I'm going to start a chocobo ranch!" he cried, throwing his arms out to the sides. "No one will bother me here. I can finally raise chocobos in peace."

"Good luck!" Yuna told him, sincerely happy for him.

The girls started to walk out, when suddenly Clasko's voice rang out through the dungeon after them.

"Oh, no! I can't raise anything without a chocobo!"

"You've got your work cut out for you," Paine muttered as Yuna turned around to walk back.

}{}{}{

"It's so effing cold," I said through gritted teeth as we came up from the Calm Lands to Mt. Gagazet.

"Yeah, is it just me, or does it feel colder than usual?" Rikku asked, changing into a more practical dressphere.

"It's like the mountain knows there's something wrong," Yuna murmured, frowning.

"We should speak to your friend again," Paine said. I believe she really might've been either invincible or incredibly weather-tolerant.

"You mean Kimahri?" Yuna frowned at her. She wasn't frowning because it was a bad idea, I could see. It was more the issue of her conscience.

"Looks like he's already coming for us," Rikku said, nodding at the Ronso.

I swear, every time I look at him, I feel like I owe him something.

"Kimahri sorry," Kimahri said when he reached us.

"Sorry about what?" Yuna asked him.

"Kimahri look for sphere for Yuna," he began. "But Kimahri find nothing. Kimahri disappoint Yuna."

"It's all right, Kimahri," Yuna assured him, smiling as usual. "Of course, I'm happy that you tried to help, but Yuna has to deal with Yuna problems."

"Kimahri search mountain long time," Kimahri continued. "But still one place Kimahri not look. Fayth Scar rises high on mountain. Scar is sacred ground which Ronso not tread."

"Might still be some spheres up there," Paine murmured quietly from behind me. I nodded once as subtly as I could while keeping my eyes on Kimahri.

"Summoners no longer climb mountain. Now only sphere hunters come. Kimahri worry hunters defile sacred ground."

"Do you think it's Leblanc and her goons?" Rikku asked her cousin, popping up at her side.

"Maybe we should check," Yuna answered. She looked up at her former guardian. His face was nothing but kindness. "Is that okay?"

"Kimahri trust Yuna," he replied. "Kimahri not worry."

"Then that's our cue," Paine said. I noticed she was talking more than ever. Kind of weird, but I was beginning to get used to it.

"Let's get us s'more uniforms," Rikku added with a giggle.

"But most importantly, let's do it fast," I finished, trotting over to a warp platform.

Within sixty seconds, we were already up to the bottom of the Fayth Scar. That's how we do things here.

"Must be up ahead..." Yuna said quietly, looking up at the mountain ahead of us.

"Emphasis on 'up,'" I added, frowning a bit.

"You mean we're supposed to climb this?" Rikku whined as we walked closer to the ledges.

"No wonder the Ronso never come here," Paine scoffed, grabbing a hold of a ledge.

"I would call for a race, but..." I grinned, following Paine's lead. Yuna followed me, and Rikku brought up the rear.

"Look!" Yuna hissed, pointing when we all reached the same ledge. In the distance, up above us, was a pair of Fem-Goons jumping around. They were headed where we wanted to go anyway, had we been trailing them or not.

Immediately I thought of Em, but I knew she didn't wear the typical Fem-Goon uniform. Still, I didn't know for sure. But either way, we were about to find out.

Yuna put a finger to her lips, and she led us the rest of the way up. I was surprised she didn't volunteer me, but I guess she had become so goal-oriented in the past two years that it didn't cross her mind. Or maybe she was giving me a break. I'll go with the former.

"I can hear voices," Rikku mouthed when we reached the top. Sure enough, the goons' voices were echoing up to us from the hot spring below. Looking over the edge, I saw that neither one was black, and so Emi wasn't there. I had mixed feelings about that.

"That water felt great!" one said, standing in a bathing suit on the side. Her comrade was still in the water. "Can you believe there's a hot spring in a place like this?"

"But isn't this supposed to be sacred Ronso ground?" the other pointed out, starting to get out of the water. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..."

"What?" the first one teased, putting her hands on her hips. "You think some Ronso boogie man is gonna come get you? Better that than the boss, know what I mean?"

"Hey!"

All of us, including the goons, stiffened at the sound of Ormi's voice ringing through the caves.

"You two been slacking off?" he shouted from a ledge above them but below us.

"No, we were, uh, getting ready for duty," the first one stammered. The second one just covered up with a towel. "Just trying to, uh, rejuvenate, sir."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt the ground underneath my feet rumble.

"That's not-"

The ledge we were on made a cracking noise, then broke off of the mountainside, sending the four of us plummeting down. Our screams and the sudden commotion broke up the goons' conversation and sent them all running.

"What's this?" Yuna asked when we knew we were safe to move around. My muscles hurt and I could feel bruises forming, but what Yuna had in her hands was a blessing.

"That sure was easy," Rikku said with a grin. Yuna held up two Syndicate uniforms with a devious smirk on her face.

"Very nice," I murmured, matching the expression.

"We'll be taking those uniforms back!"

I turned quickly. That was not the line we were supposed to hear next. We were totally supposed to hang out in the spring, Buddy was supposed to knock Brother out, and THEN the Syndicate would come running back.

But, oddly enough, the Syndicate girls were standing in front of us with Ormi behind them.

"If we lose them, Leblanc will give us the heel!" the other, whiny one exclaimed. She didn't look as mad, more worried.

"Lousy Gullwings! Falling down on people like that," Ormi complained. "Gave me a little surprise, that's all."

_This is so out of order,_ I realized, a frown appearing on my face. Obviously, by now my presence had changed the game quite a bit. For better or worse, I didn't know.

"For a little surprise, you sure took a while to come back," Paine pointed out with a blank, expressionless face.

"Who asked you!" Ormi shouted.

}{}{}{

_Somehow, this just isn't right_, Yuna thought, her chin in her palm. _Something's off_.

With a quick glance at her friends, her eyes landed on Dylan, who looked tired beyond explanation.

_If something were wrong, she would tell me, right_? Yuna reasoned with herself. _She would tell me if the story were changing, right?... Yeah, she would_.

Trying to erase her frown, Yuna looked out the window, thinking instead of their nice score at Mt. Gagazet. That was one thing that was good about today.

Their last stop of the day would be to Zanarkand. It seemed so odd, how visiting this once-sacred place was becoming a regular occurrence. The meaning behind everything was beginning to fade.

Yuna barely felt the ship land, but out of habit, she walked with her friends down the ramp to the ground. When her mind focused again, tourists were still there to greet her.

"Looks like business is booming," she muttered under her breath.

"What's Pop thinking?" Rikku whispered, frowning.

The rest of the way to the dome was spent in silence. If she had opened her mouth, Yuna would've spilled out all of her memories, everything precious to her. The stories by the fire, defeating Yunalesca, saying her goodbyes...and not ever needing them.

"Well, hello," Isaaru said when they reached the staircase.

"How's work?" Rikku asked bitterly. Yuna bit her tongue.

"It's a never ending struggle," he replied, shaking his head slowly. "As you can see, the monkeys are multiplying. They were harassing the tourists. We had to close down."

"Well, I guess this will teach Pop a lesson, at least," Rikku said quietly.

"Cid's not here anymore," Isaaru reminded her. "After your last visit, he dropped everything and took off. I don't know where to." He paused, like he was waiting for the girls to reveal that information. "Well, I must be going."

When he had left, the stony silence overtook them again. With nothing else to say to anyone else, Yuna turned to a monkey.

"Now, you behave yourselves," she said, cracking a smile.

"Hey, if there were more of these little guys, you think the place would empty out?" Rikku asked, turning to her friends.

"It just might," Paine agreed.

"It will," Dylan said firmly, picking up a monkey. "This won't be fun, but it'll be better than watching tourists stomp on our memories."

"You've got a good point," Rikku said, also picking up a monkey.

"Just try not to lose any gil in the process," Paine sighed as Rikku's monkey snatched a gold coin from her pouch.

_That's not what matters_, Yuna wanted to say, but she couldn't bring herself to. Instead she only picked up a monkey and managed a half-smile.

"Let's get started," she said, and the four ran off.


	14. Chapter 14: Morning Glow, Mark 3

Chapter 14: Morning Glow, Mark 3 (youtube - watch?v=FlMBcTGJ4YM)

Memo: Why is it mark 3, you ask? Look back to the first story, Songbirds of Sorrow. ;) Anyway, I really think you'll like this chapter. I like it, at least... Please tell me I'm not a loner. :\

FLASHBACK START

_I hate orientation. I hate orientation. I hate_...

Those were the only thoughts filling Dylan's mind at 6:30 in the morning. It was Wednesday, and the past three days had been spent going to convocations and meetings and going on tours. They stayed up late, and they got up early. And they sweated, so every morning brought about a shower.

_I hate orientation. Honestly. I hate it. I hate being a freshman_.

Forcing her eyes open, Dylan awoke to the sound of her alarm. She went to hit the snooze button, but then quickly she realized that her alarm hadn't gone off yet.

_Why am I hearing music_? she wondered, lifting her head, careful not to bump her head on the ceiling. Jumping down from her loft bed, she landed with a thud onto the cold tile floor. Quietly, so she wouldn't wake her roommate, she pulled aside the curtains a bit.

..._I love orientation week_.

There, out on the blacktop, was the marching band. They were already having practice.

_Why did I quit_? Dylan asked herself, looking out at the students marching in a block. _Oh yeah. My schedule. Hm...maybe next year_.

As for that moment, she stood at the window and watched them play until sunrise.

FLASHBACK END

I did join the next year. If I hadn't ended up in Spira, I would've spent the end of my summer at band camp, like I had wanted.

Maybe it was fate. Maybe I wasn't supposed to join because I wasn't supposed to get too attached. Spira was actually where I belonged.

Seeing the desert sun rise in Bikanel Desert the next day brought about that memory.

"I still smell like monkey," Rikku complained, frowning and sniffing her hands.

"Maybe if you hadn't pet so many monkeys..." Paine said, half-teasing.

So many people at my university joined sororities and fraternities. But I don't need that, because Yuna, Rikku, and Paine are my sisters now.

"Tyrkih! Tyrkih! (Danger! Danger!)"

We could hear picket's alarm from far off, a good half mile from the Al Bhed camp. "Cicbeleuic cekhym tadaldat! (Suspicious signal detected!)"

"Think we should talk to Nhadala?" Yuna asked us. I nodded, so we headed over to the blonde, who smiled when she saw us.

"Hello, ladies," she said. "Oh, before you start digging, I'd really like you to go check out the Oasis for me. Some strange stuff's been washing up there lately. I'd appreciate it if you looked into it."

"Strange stuff?" Paine repeated.

"Spheres!" Rikku squealed, running off to the pilot.

"So, she's got you on another errand, now, has she?" he said to us when we reached his hover. "I heard there've been some weird folks hanging out around the Oasis. Better make sure you're ready before heading out there."

"Trust me, we're ready," I told him with a smirk.

"If you say so. Climb aboard."

"To the Oasis!" Rikku cheered, grabbing a hold of one of the large supportive beams opposite me.

_Yeah, I could've stayed back home_, I thought as we traveled to the Oasis, full speed ahead. _I could've led a really mediocre life. But I'm not. Maybe that's why Emi came here. She didn't want to be average_.

"Be careful," the pilot said when we landed. Rikku was already off like a shot.

"Look!" she exclaimed, running toward the water. "A sphere!"

Yuna didn't say anything, but she did hurry over and pick up the sphere, examining it closely. I already knew it was a dressphere, but I guess she didn't always want things spoiled.

"Well, fancy meeting you here."

Nobody hurried to turn around and see who it was. I thought that was kind of funny. Logos had such a distinct voice that you might hear him in a crowd. "You can lead a Gullwing to water, but you can't make it drink!" Two Fem-Goons appeared behind him, combat-ready.

"Ummm?" Rikku hummed, looking at him.

"Yeah, I don't understand that line, either," I admitted.

"Say, those are nice uniforms," Paine commented, looking at the goons. They exchanged looks, then resumed their combat stances.

"Enough of this nonsense!" Logos cried angrily.

"You just can't do anything the easy way, can you?" I asked, switching into my custom dressphere.

"Wait, let's have some fun!" Rikku giggled. I just looked at her. "Yunie's special dressphere! Use it!"

I had forgotten about those. We had Paine's now, too. Before long, Rikku's would come along. But what about mine?

What exactly was a special dressphere composed of? Well, as I found out from Shinra later, it utilized the user's truest form of strength. That's why Rikku's was a machina-based one, and so on. But mine...?

I was waiting to be turned into a kick-ass ninja. Even more kick-ass than I already was. Am.

}{}{}{

"Well?"

Yuna put a hand on her hip, turning to the side. She and her friends were now completely disguised as Fem-Goons. Very convincingly.

"It's perfect!" Brother cried, throwing his arms up in the air in sheer joy.

"We're off to Chateau Leblanc!" Rikku cheered.

"Let's settle the score," Paine said quietly. She definitely had her game face on.

"Can we wait until we get there to wear these?" Dylan complained, slumping. "They're really hot."

"Deal," Yuna agreed, feeling uncomfortable herself.

"Might as well keep them on," Buddy said over his shoulder. "We're almost there."

"Oh, seriously?"

Sighing, the girls all sat down or leaned against the railing, conserving their energy in one form or another.

"Show time," Dylan whispered when the airship's gate lowered into the entrance of Guadosalam.

One at a time, the girls dropped down, then continued together to the chateau, where two goon guards were waiting for them.

"Huh?" one grunted.

"Reporting for duty!" Yuna, Dylan, and Rikku said in unison.

"Th-Thanks?"

Running off, the girls dodged into the Chateau.

"Another smashing success!" Rikku hissed, pumping a fist in the air.

"We're not done yet," Paine reminded her, looking around. "Where's the sphere?"

Suddenly the girls heard a door creak open.

"Hide," Dylan commanded them in a whisper, and they snuck out of view but within earshot.

"Thank you, Leblanc." Nooj's voice came echoing down to them.

"Anything for you, love," Leblanc replied. Rikku fake-gagged.

"Now I finally know the location of Vegnagun. Spira is in for a rough ride. Take care."

"Yes, love."

Nooj slowly proceeded out of the front door of the chateau, right past the girls, who quietly let out the air in their lungs.

"Oh, how long must we be apart?" Leblanc said melodramatically. "These days without you are not easy on me, love."

The girls exchanged glances with each other, then crept into what was once Seymour's dining hall. It had now been turned into the Syndicate's living room. How times had truly changed.

"The boss is a different person when that Nooj guy shows up, huh?" Ormi was saying when they walked in.

"Suppressing her natural charm and acting like some housewife..." Logos slowly shook his head. "She must be tense."

Glancing at Yuna, Logos' beady eyes narrowed a bit.

"You, go to the boss's chambre and tend to your duties," he said.

"What...duties?" Yuna murmured.

"You know, use your talents to help her, uh, unwind," Ormi answered.

"You, too," Logos said, looking right at Dylan, who cringed.

"C'mon, let's go," Yuna murmured, dragging Dylan off with her.

"This is not how it's supposed to be..." Dylan slowed down, making Yuna slow with her.

"What do you mean?"

"Only you are supposed to go up here, and Rikku and Paine go break in. I don't understand why they need us both."

Yuna didn't say anything, just shook her head in reply. How was she supposed to know? If Dylan didn't have the answers, then the whole situation was going to be a mystery.

"Ah, that time already, is it?" a goon said to the girls when they reached the entrance to Leblanc's chambers. "Don't hold back, heh."

They didn't respond. Silently, the two walked in to see not only Leblanc standing there, but Emi sitting on her bed. The latter looked pretty irritated, but Leblanc was busy blowing kisses to her Nooj statue. She turned around quickly when she heard Yuna and Dylan enter.

"I'm waiting," she said impatiently.

"As am I," Emi added, kicking off her shoes. "What took so long?"

"Um, just a hold-up down below," Dylan said quickly, her heart pounding. What were the odds...?

"What am I supposed to do?" Yuna said in a voice only loud enough for Dylan to hear.

"Give her a back massage," the brunette replied quietly, walking over to Emi.

_We used to be best friends_, she thought, kneeling down in front of her rival like a servant. _But now we'll see who comes out on top_.

Emi stuck her foot out to Dylan, who took it and started massaging.

_We always were so competitive with each other, even if we were on the same team_, Dylan realized as Emi laid herself back on the bed, hands covering her face. _So in reality I guess things haven't really changed much at all_.

"Hmm, that is good," Leblanc murmured happily. "When did you get so good at this?"

"Uh, um..." Yuna responded, trying to give a legit answer while hiding her voice. "I-I dunno."

"Noojie-Woojie is such a manly man, don't you think?" Leblanc continued, ignoring Yuna's reply. "He can be blunt, but that makes the occasional smile all the more irresistible! That godly smile..." Leblanc paused in thought. "That's the whole reason I became a sphere hunter. Oh, if only there were some miracle sphere...something that could make him truly happy." The blonde let out a huge yawn. "What I wouldn't give!"

Laying her head down on the carpet, Leblanc closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

"She fell asleep!" Yuna gasped, looking at her hands. "I'm that good?"

"Apparently we both are," Dylan mumbled, letting go of Emi's foot. Her former friend was passed out on the bed, almost snoring.

"The boss fell asleep again?"

The girls turned quickly to see Logos and Ormi standing there.

"One massage and she's out like a light," Logos said with a sigh.

"We's been waiting for her, too, 'cause she had something important to tell us," Ormi said as Dylan and Yuna got to their feet.

"We'll just have to keep waiting," Logos told him. "In the meantime, you, go make sure the switch panel is working."

"Uh, switch?" Yuna asked. Bingo.

"The back of the living room! The same one as always!" Ormi shouted.

}{}{}{

After the four of us opened the secret door, it was like a big stress factor disappeared for me. We were in. The only bad part left was getting out. Getting the sphere wouldn't be too hard. Leaving unnoticed might be.

Although, getting in unnoticed didn't exactly work out, either.

"This is Brother!" The speakers crackled in the basement. "How's it going?"

"Be quiet!" Rikku hissed. "This is a covert operation. Over and out."

"Rikku! How dare you speak to your leader like that!" Brother shrieked, his tinny voice echoing down the hallways.

"Ooh! Shut up, already!"

"Hrm? Who's there?" The four of us cringed as Ormi appeared at the top of the stairs. By now we had discarded the uniforms, so he could see who we were easily. "Ah! The Gullwings!"

"Uh-oh!" Yuna gasped, pulling out her guns. The fight was on.

As a reaction to Yuna's movements, Ormi tossed his giant shield at us, nailing both Rikku and I, knocking us both on our butts.

"Oh, it's on!" Rikku growled, changing into her Gun Mage dressphere. "What is it you always used to say? Biff time, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, changing into the Warrior dressphere while Paine switched to the White Mage. (An unlikely pairing, but hey, it worked.)

"You don't seem so enthusiastic about that," she noted. I shook my head.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Whatever you say! Let's biff!"

The fact that it sounded so much like "let's blitz" made my heart hurt a little.

As Ormi rushed by to grab his shield, Rikku pushed him to the ground and took a couple of shots. When he tried to get back up, I knocked him back down with the hilt of my sword, and the assault from Rikku continued.

All in all, Rikku did most of the work and in the end sent Ormi running.

"Let's split up," I said after he had left. "You three go to Logos and Ormi's room-there's a sphere there, too. I'll meet you in Leblanc's room."

"Why, what are you going to do?" Paine asked.

"Disable the booby traps," I explained. "It'll make getting around a lot easier."

"Sounds good to me," Yuna said, nodding. Rikku and Paine nodded also, running off down the hallway. Yuna started off, then turned and added, "We'll see you in a bit."

I smiled, waving as I took off in the other direction, heading not toward the booby traps, but toward Leblanc's room to snoop. If I could get a hold of some treasure additionally before the goons showed up, then we'd be doubly set.

When I finally reached the room, I slowed down and walked in quietly, in case someone was waiting for me.

Someone was.

The door slammed behind me with a loud thud.

"Fancy seeing you here."

I turned slowly to see Emi standing there, leaning against the door. Letting out a small laugh, I crossed my arms, tilting my head.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked. "I'm seriously really just wondering."

"Doing what?"

"Trying to oppose me."

It was her turn to laugh.

"You give yourself way too much credit," she said with a smirk.

"Just like you." I stopped myself from saying anything else. Honestly, I didn't want to fight her, physically or verbally. If we could work it out, that would be just dandy. "Do you realize how stupid this whole thing is?"

"Stupid?" she echoed.

"We used to be best friends," I reminded her. "And now we're fighting instead of working together."

"Our goals are different," she replied.

"Hell, I don't even know what your goal _is_."

"It's what everybody else wants-to find their purpose," she said. It made a little bit of sense, actually. "And I'm finding mine."

"But why do you have to be such a bitch to me?"

Emi frowned. "I never did anything to you. It was you who left Trisha and I. You're the one who left in the first place."

"Oh please," I snapped. "Don't even bring Trisha into this."

"You abandoned us both!"

"Like I had a choice! I got sucked in, in case you forgot!"

"You could've left, but no~. You had to change things. You had to make yourself known."

"What the hell?" I shouted. Forget being civil. "Let me remind you who stayed with Trisha until the very end: _me_, not _you_. You're the one who ran off to find a way in here."

She didn't say anything for a moment, and I knew she couldn't. I was right, after all.

We were both so tired, so done with all of this. Truthfully, there had been a bit of tension between us for nearly our whole friendship, but with Trisha acting as the middle man, and with no real reason to make an issue out of it, it went ignored and untouched for over ten years. And now here we were, letting it all out.

"I hope you're happy," she growled. "You're finally back here, but you're leading Yuna right to him. You really think you'll get anywhere?"

"Yeah, I do," I replied angrily. "You're one to talk. You'd listen to Leblanc before your friend?"

"I owe her."

"So? When has that ever stopped you before? You could've come with us, and it wouldn't have to be this way."

"What way?"

That was it. I'd had enough. It was obvious she didn't want to even be cordial toward me.

"In case you forgot, I was your best friend your whole life. And also, in case it slipped your mind, two years ago I had some of the most traumatic events of my entire LIFE happen. I watched the person most precious to me disappear right in front of my face, and there was nothing I could do about."

I was really going now, but I didn't care.

"Then my brother and best friend go missing, my other best friend dies, I end up here, and I find you, and you want to act like the past never happened? ...You're an idiot."

Pulling on my fighting gloves, I glared at Emi, who stared back, her eyes completely emotionless.

"I don't know what is eating your brain, but I'm about to knock it out of you."

"I'd love to see you try."

"Then consider this my last act of kindness toward you."

Lunging, I felt my fist crash into her stomach. She groaned as she stumbled back, still on her feet. To my surprise, she reacted and threw a punch back. I dodged it, barely missing her knuckles. I let her momentum pull her forward, and I grabbed her by the back of the collar, throwing her on the floor.

"I don't want to hurt you if I don't have to," I told her through clenched teeth as I placed a foot on her back.

Whipping around, she pushed my whole leg out from under me. I fell on the floor, landing on my butt. She didn't seem to mind the threats.

I felt her hands grab my neck in an effort to fight back, but instinctively I thrusted my feet into her gut, forcing her backward, away from me. Crawling over to her, I grabbed her by the hair on the back of her neck and smashed her face into the floor. She shrieked, and for a moment I felt a little awful.

But then I remembered how betrayed I was, and how mad Trisha would be, and how she had made me worry, and so I didn't let go. I just kept slamming her head into the floor.

I finally let go, straddling on top of her and holding her neck. I could've choked her to death. She looked up at me, and she honestly looked afraid. Her nose was bleeding all down her face.

But beyond the fear I saw no remorse.

Standing quickly, I shoved my heel into her stomach. She gasped, curling up in pain. I rolled her over onto her side with my foot.

"Just remember: I could've killed you just now," I said in a low voice, pursing my lips. "Maybe while you suffer here you'll figure out your purpose and get your brain back."

I turned to walk away when I heard her voice.

"...If you bring him back...it won't get you anywhere...because of Yuna," she groaned. I sighed.

"You yourself told me that the story changes depending on how you play the game. Trust me, I know how I'm playing my game."

Without another word, I left the room to find my friends. My real friends.


	15. Chapter 15: The best offense

Chapter 15: The best offense is a strong defense. (youtube - watch?v=5oh6ziUnKbs)

Memo: Quote from this chapter's theme, Utada Hikaru's "Play Ball"! Love this song, love this chapter. After this chapter, you'll be halfway done! Woot. I can't wait for the second half~ argggh! Well, haha, enjoy this in the meantime! Thanks for reading~!

PS: If you don't get the cute dolphin reference, please go to youtube and just type in the words "xiah dolphin"...you'll see. lmao

FLASHBACK START

As the three girls navigated the empty hallways of Leblanc's hideout, Yuna became more and more worried. Dylan had said that she was going to disable the security devices, but when the girls had gotten to that point, the system was untouched. What was going on?

"Found it!" Rikku cried, pointing ahead of them. There, in Leblanc's room, laid a glowing sphere.

"Found it," Paine echoed, walking in the room.

"Huh?" Yuna peered down at it. It was both halves of the sphere...

"Now I get it," Paine said, looking around the room. "I was wondering why they'd bother stealing half a broken sphere."

"Of course!" Rikku cried, snapping her fingers. "They already had the other half!"

"Very good, loves."

The girls turned to see Leblanc and her henchmen standing there.

"I went through a lot of trouble gathering those pieces-all for Noojie-Woojie," Leblanc said, pouting. "So don't you lay a finger on it! Let's get 'em, boys!"

"Yes, Boss!" Ormi and Logos shouted.

Yuna frowned, pulling out her guns.

_She wanted this for Nooj_? she wondered. _Guess we have more in common than I thought_.

FLASHBACK END

"This is seriously the battle that never ends!" Rikku complained. Yuna nodded, rolling her eyes.

"I know determined people, but they just won't give up," Paine added.

It was true; the Syndicate was really adamant on protecting whatever was in that sphere. But that just made Yuna even more curious. And so the fighting continued.

_Where is Dylan_? Yuna thought, looking around for her friend. She'd been gone since they split up; no sign of her anywhere.

"This is no good!" Rikku cried, stomping her foot.

"Your little friend is right," Logos agreed. "We are too evenly matched."

"Ex-cuse me?" Paine said. "You'd compare yourselves to us?"

"Well, nobody's winnin'!" Ormi pointed out.

"I can fix that!"

Suddenly a blur of green and brown dropped down onto Leblanc, kicking her in the back and sending her flying onto the ground.

"Dylan!" Rikku exclaimed.

Sure enough, the brunette stood upright, grinning proudly.

"That's oh-to-two my favor, Leblanc," she said, hands on her hips.

"Well?" Rikku shouted as Logos and Ormi stood over Leblanc, dumbfounded. "Want another helping of your just desserts?"

"No one's gonna hear you scream from down here," Paine added.

Leblanc slowly lifted her head up, looking genuinely scared.

"W-Wait a second!" she cried. "I'll let you see what's in the sphere!"

"Let us?" Paine echoed, exchanging glances with Dylan, who let out a quiet but evil laugh.

"Please, the sphere is yours to watch," Leblanc said, hanging her head. She was obviously defeated.

"Score!"

The four girls gathered around, Dylan making sure the other three could see. She had seen this sphere clip enough times to know it was just a shot of Vegnagun and its guards.

"That is the colossus Vegnagun," Leblanc said after the sphere's recording stopped. "We've finished our analysis of the sphere. It appears to have been recorded underneath Bevelle."

"I see Bevelle hasn't lost its old fondness for secrets," Paine commented, shooting a side-glance at the sphere.

"Exactly. Those Yevon scum have been concealing that weapon all along." The question was, how long was "all along"? "If anyone uses that thing, Spira is done for."

"But it's a machina!" Rikku exclaimed. "All we have to do is shakey-shake our way up to it and take it apart!"

"That's what Noojie's got in mind. And of course, whatever he's planning is what I'm planning." Leblanc's gaze fell on Yuna. "What about you?"

"Me?" Yuna echoed, a little confused.

"The summoner who defeated Sin ought to stand up and defend Spira again."

_How am I supposed to respond to this_? Yuna thought, but she felt herself nod "yes," and so her automatic good-girl reflex kicked in once again for her.

"So then I guess we're on the same side," Leblanc said, putting a hand on her hip. "We'll be waiting for you."

"Waiting where?" Paine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't be silly, love. On your airship, of course." Leblanc's face brightened mischievously. "I've always wanted to take a spin on that thing!"

"Ever heard of asking?" Rikku called after her as she departed with her henchmen.

"Don't mind her, Rikku," Dylan assured her, patting her on the head. "They won't be around long."

Paine sighed in relief, and all but Yuna burst into giggles.

_Sin is gone. The Calm is here. I thought our peaceful days_

_would never end_, Yuna thought, a small frown crossing her face. _The Eternal Calm. I really believed it would last forever...until now. I realized how fragile it can be_.

"Wake up, Yuna!" Rikku shouted, startling Yuna and making her jump.

"Yeah, let's get this show on the road!" Dylan said, taking Yuna's wrist and dragging her along. "We've got a world to save!"

}{}{}{

As much as I cannot stand Leblanc, I kind of felt sorry for her at this point. She was just trying to do good for the person that she loved. I think everyone can relate to that feeling, whether it's a romantic love or not.

But she was being her usual bossy self, and so therefore I was about to pull my hair out the second we left Guadosalam. It didn't help that-once again-I missed a chance to get to the Farplane.

"First things first," Leblanc said. "We are going to Bevelle. Full speed ahead!"

"You just wait, blondie!" Brother snapped. He got a respect point. "Yuna. What next?"

"She's off to save Spira, of course!" Leblanc answered for her.

"Right!" Yuna agreed.

Rikku sighed, shaking her head slowly. "Yunie, Yunie."

"Always getting herself dragged into trouble," Paine said.

"I wouldn't even call that being 'dragged,'" I added. Paine nodded, smirking in agreement.

"Well, we're going to Bevelle," Yuna said. "There should be lots of spheres there! So why don't we hunt for them on the side?"

No immediate response. Funny stuff.

"Just admit it, love," Leblanc said with a sigh. "You're a goody-goody."

Yuna made an offended face, but it quickly faded out. She knew just as well as we did that it was completely true.

"Sorry," she murmured.

"_Can_ we look for spheres, though?" Rikku piped up.

"I don't see why not!" Yuna replied. The cousins hi-fived.

"Hang on you guys," Buddy said suddenly, interrupting our conversation. "We land in one minute. Get yourselves ready."

"That's really not much notice, you know!" Rikku called out to him, running to put her shoes back on. She tended to run around barefoot whenever she got the chance.

Anyway, soon we were standing on the dock just outside of the city gates in Bevelle.

"So how we gonna do this?" Rikku asked Yuna.

"Um..." Like Yuna would have the answer to a question like that.

"It's obvious!" Leblanc cried dramatically. "We nab the head honcho. Then, we make him lead us to Vegnagun, and...checkmate."

"Not bad," Yuna said, nodding once.

"I got no problem with this," Ormi cut in. "Our target is the New Yevon praetor, Baralai!"

Mmm, Baralai. The little puppy-dog-faced guy again.

"A girly man like that doesn't stand a chance without his escort," Logos added. I thought the 'girly man' comment was a wee bit hypocritical, but it didn't really matter. Paine was there to stick up for him.

"Careful," she warned. "He's much stronger than he looks."

I could hear footsteps echoing in the background, and about the time I noticed they were getting louder, Paine did too.

"Company," she muttered.

I knew this could potentially be bad. After all, we had sided with the Youth League. Who knows what the Yevonites thought of us now?

Besides, you know, me.

"Who goes there?" the guard shouted, coming into view. He halted when he saw us. "It's those Youth League spies!" At the sound of his voice, more guards appeared, a few with flamethrowers. Jealous~. "We won't have you defile this place like you did in Kilika!"

"Well, good luck!" Leblanc said, running off quickly with Logos and Ormi at her heels.

"Good luck?" Yuna echoed, irritated.

"Grow a backbone, Yuna, then things like that don't happen," Paine told her, striking one of the guards with her sword. "Now let's go!"

The four of us took off, knocking the guards out of our way, and soon we had burst into the temple and hijacked the lift.

"Geez, things really are a mess, huh?" Rikku said, looking at Yuna.

"Yeah," the brunette replied, but I knew what she was thinking, and it was a hell of a lot more than just "yeah."

}{}{}{

When the lift slowed and the four girls stepped off into Bevelle's Cloister of Trials, Yuna frowned. The last time she was here, she had been alone. She was tired of being alone.

"Wait," Rikku said, pointing ahead of them. "What are fiends doing in the temple?"

"The temples reek of secrets," Paine replied, her eyes narrowing. "Don't let a couple of fiends throw you."

"Honestly, it's not even just the temples anymore," Dylan said quietly.

But nobody said anything in reply. They all had an idea of what she meant.

"Well well well."

Yuna sighed to herself. Leblanc and her gang were just ahead. If they could get past the trials, they'd be caught up to them.

"Hurry up, ladies!" the blonde called down to them. "We've found something pret-ty interesting up here!"

"When I get up there, I'm going to kill her," Paine growled under her breath.

Finally, the groups were reunited, and they proceeded into the next area: Bevelle's security core.

Yuna peered down into the center, her anger rising. Why was all this happening now? This was supposed to be the Calm!

"Let's go," she murmured to her fellow Gullwings. They nodded. Together, the four jumped down into the center, following the chains along.

"Watch the exit!" Yuna called back to Leblanc as an alarm sounded.

"I don't take orders!" Leblanc responded quickly. She paused, looking around. "But...I'll make an exception this time. Leave it to us, love!"

"That's more like it," Dylan muttered, jumping down to the core.

"What do we do?" Rikku asked her.

"See how there's a straight shot down? We have to deactivate the right alarms and we can head down deeper."

"Sounds like Bevelle isn't the only one with secrets," Paine said.

"No, it's not," Dylan replied, shooting her a look. Paine had no room to talk.

With Dylan's help, the girls moved on quickly, the Syndicate trailing them into the next area. They were greeted by a huge machine that Dylan knew as the Gaol, and that Yuna knew from the sphere.

"Hey!" Rikku cried, running up to the machina. "Yunie! That sphere... Wasn't it recorded here?"

"Get your head out of the clouds and move it!" Leblanc snapped at the girls. Rikku jumped, startled, then followed the Syndicate, Dylan, and Paine out of the room. Yuna lingered for a moment, wrapped up in her own thoughts.

_There's a connection_, Yuna realized, walking away. _Everything is connected. I can feel it._

When Yuna joined her group in the next room, not only did she notice that the Syndicate had disappeared, but Baralai was standing before them. He looked passive, as usual.

"The Gullwings?" he said. "I was wondering who was there."

Yuna didn't respond. She just looked at him. She didn't want to say anything she might regret later.

"You don't have to tell me," he said at last. "I know why you've come. You're here to destroy the weapon that threatens all Spira: Vegnagun. Am I right?" He paused, then continued, obviously choosing his words carefully. "If it could be destroyed we would have done so long ago. But Vegnagun must not be touched. Neither you nor Nooj seem to understand that."

"You talked to Nooj?" Paine repeated, not bothering to hide her disbelief.

"He...cannot be trusted," Baralai answered.

"And you can be?" Rikku snapped.

"Touche. Yes, I suppose Yevon has brought that distrust upon itself. At any rate, you need not interfere. Leave Vegnagun to me."

"What are you planning to do?" Yuna asked him.

To her surprised, Baralai pulled out a staff; it extended into a longer, more dangerous spear.

"The only thing I can do: keep those who would seek to harm Vegnagun away." He paused for a moment. "Please leave."

"Yuna. Rikku. Dylan. I'm going," Paine said, pulling out her own weapon.

"Paine!" Baralai gasped.

"Not without us!" Dylan said, stepping forward. "You have the cute dolphin image, but let's see how you handle us on the streets!"

"Dylan, I don't know how you come up with the things you say, but I love you and I agree!" Rikku chirped, jumping to the side of her friends.

"We won't turn back," Yuna said simply, stepping to the other side of Paine.

"You have your reasons, too," Baralai said, smiling sympathetically.

}{}{}{

As the four of us stood in front of Baralai, I felt this overwhelming anger and I know it was channeling between us. Why was this happening? What happened to the Calm? Weren't we supposed to be living it up right about now?

But, as twisted as this sounds, I was so happy for Vegnagun. I was so happy that there was conflict again in Spira. Otherwise, I may never have come back.

I would just have to keep fighting through the anger. Channel it. Use it against people who got in our/my way. That was my only choice.

"Sorry, Baralai," I said, ducking under his spear for a first strike. "We have to keep moving forward."

"How do expect to move forward by focusing only on the past?" he asked me, knocking me backward. His question and its honesty had caught me completely off-guard. He had a point. We were living a bit in the past.

"We want to learn for our future!" I heard Yuna cry, changing into her Songstress dressphere and casting darkness on him.

"Good answer," Paine said, going in for a solid hit.

It was a good answer. It was such a good answer that I literally sat there for a full two minutes thinking about it. It couldn't have been more true.

"Hey, lazy!"

Rikku bopped me on the head with her fist.

"Are you just going to sit there or are you going to help us out?" she asked me, grinning. I smiled back, nodding.

"Okay, okay. If you need me that badly," I responded.

"Actually, he's almost out." Rikku nodded toward Baralai, who was leaning on his spear. I could see where somebody, probably Paine, had gotten a good shot at his leg, and he was visibly bleeding.

"Oh, well, good job ladies."

Rikku let out a low giggle.

"It's mostly been Yuna and Paine," she admitted sheepishly.

"...Wow. We're that lazy?"

We laughed, but I didn't feel sincere at all. The guilt of using Yuna was beginning to creep back in.

If my plan to bring Tidus back didn't work, I decided I would never forgive myself and let Yuna take me out if she wanted to, to do whatever she wanted to me. My dream was my only motivation, and if it were lost...

}{}{}{

Paine lowered her weapon, staring at her old friend, who was now looking pretty pathetic.

"Sorry, I'm going ahead," Paine said. She said it more to Baralai than her fellow Gullwings, but they didn't seem to catch on.

"You have your reasons," Yuna said, nodding once. She wanted to be as respectful as possible to Paine, not only because they were friends, but because she hoped that one day Paine would open up about her past.

"Fill us in later, 'kay?" Rikku added, bouncing on her heels.

"Much later," Paine answered as she started to run off.

"Wait up!" Rikku called after her, nosy as always. Yuna stood there in silence with Dylan.

"Yuna..."

Yuna turned to look at her friend. She wore a distant expression, like she was trying to make her emotions unreadable. It was working.

"Up ahead, you're going to see some things that just won't make sense to you yet," she warned her. "But I promise, in the end, you'll understand. Things will...get better."

"...Okay. I trust you."

Dylan glanced at Yuna, a small smile crossing her lips.

_Oh, Yuna, you really shouldn't_, she thought as she ran off to join her friends.

_With so many things woven together_... Yuna looked at the unconcious Baralai, frowning. ..._What could be waiting where the threads meet_?


	16. Chapter 16:

Chapter 16: Your Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings (youtube - watch?v=Ez3BLcUeAL0)

Memo: Ah! Halfway already? Hmm, feels so distant from the beginning~... But anyway, I love the flashback to this chapter and overall the scenes included. Next chapter is like crack, though. lol

FLASHBACK START

Humming quietly to herself, Rikku stuck her shovel into the sand. She placed her bare foot on top of the scoop and pushed down.

"Ah!" she chirped, feeling the metal hit something solid. Instinctively she dropped to her knees and threw her shovel aside, digging with her hands.

"Find something, kiddo?"

Rikku glanced up to see Gippal standing over her, hands on his hips, smirking.

"So what if I did?" she said, sticking out her tongue.

"Well, hurry up and dig it out!"

Rikku pouted. "That's what I was doing before you came over here to bug me!"

Gippal chuckled. "It wouldn't be a day at the dig without me bugging you and you know it."

Rikku looked up at him, squinting one eye at him playfully. His smirk only broadened. She really did enjoy times like this, with just the two of them.

"Hey you two lovebirds! Get back to work!" Nhadala shouted from across the dig space. Rikku quickly looked back at the sand, her face burning.

Gippal didn't say anything else, but she heard him chuckle quietly before he walked away.

FLASHBACK END

I didn't look to see Yuna's reaction when she finally joined Rikku, Paine, and I, but I could imagine the disbelief that must've been written all over her face at that point.

"No way..." Rikku gasped, looking up at what used to be one of former companions just two years ago.

"What is it?" Paine asked, wrinkling her nose.

"It's an aeon!" Rikku exclaimed.

"Bahamut..." I whispered, looking up at the beast. Memories of the past flooded my mind, like the time we wiped out Jecht with it.

But what they didn't know was that this was not the same loving creature as before. Bahamut of the past was gone forever. What stood-floated, actually-before us now was an enemy.

Bahamut tilted back its head and roared. Yuna seemed like she was under the spell.

"An aeon..." she murmured, then stepped forward, her arms out to the side. Oh, Yuna. She hadn't changed a bit. "You must stop!" she shouted.

Paine, having some sense, dragged her back roughly, her scarlet eyes wide.

"You wanna get killed?" she snapped. "We have no choice!"

"How'd we kill this thing before?" Rikku asked me. I shook my head.

"Honestly, I don't remember."

That wasn't a completely honest answer. It was more like, "Honestly, I tried to forget."

"Last time, there were a lot more of us," Yuna said bitterly, and I frowned. I would've rather have not been reminded of that.

"But last time we didn't have Paine," Rikku replied, trying to lighten the mood. We laughed, but Yuna's face remained serious. I could tell she was just trying to comprehend why this was happening. The gears were definitely turning.

Whether having Paine with us made a difference or not, we did manage to defeat Bahamut just like last time. The only obvious difference Paine's presence made was after the battle. She gently put her hand on Yuna's shoulder. The brunette grimaced a bit.

"Thank you Paine," she said with a sigh. "You were right. We had to fight it, didn't we?"

It was obviously a rhetorical question. Nobody responded. Instead, the four of us looked at the blank space in front of us. Pyreflies were spazzing around, but other than that, there was absolutely nothing interesting at all.

"Nothing..." Rikku whispered.

"This hole was made recently," Yuna pointed out, looking down into the darkness.

"You think it was Vegnagun? Unreal..." Rikku joined her, peering down below. "How deep do you think it goes?"

"Deep enough for Vegnagun to escape," I replied, a little distracted by the pyreflies. Who or what were those things before death? I had to wonder.

The sound of heels on the steel walkway interrupted any thought processes whatsoever. I knew it was Leblanc, so I didn't bother turning around.

"What?" she snapped. "Where's Vegnagun?"

"Not here," Yuna replied shortly.

"It must have fled in terror, knowing I was coming."

"I don't think so," Rikku said. Next to me I heard Paine make a fake-gagging noise. A smile curled my lips.

"I must report to Noojie-Woojie at once," Leblanc said, ignoring our obvious displeasure. "Boys, record this. Don't miss a single detail!"

"Yes, Boss!"

"Vegnagun," Paine murmured. "Was it really here?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding. I didn't know if she was asking me or not, but I figured I might as well answer her.

"That's...incredible," she whispered.

"Yuna!"

Brother's voice pierced the quiet.

"We are in super doo-doo!" he shouted. "Get back to Celsius on the double!"

}{}{}{

"Trouble, and I mean big time!" Brother shouted as soon as the Gullwings entered the bridge. Yuna sighed.

_I am becoming less and less surprised by these things_... she realized as Brother approached her in a frenzy.

"Fiends are pouring out of the temples!" he cried.

"Which ones?" Rikku asked over the alarms blaring through the ship.

"Only all of them! It's a freakin' state of emergency!" Yuna saw Dylan grin; apparently she had noticed how Addison was slowly rubbing off on Brother. "What should we do?"

Yuna paused, troubled. That was a question she didn't have the answer to.

"Is it Gullwing time?" Brother asked.

"Not exactly sphere hunter work," Shinra pointed out, and Yuna had to agree. This wasn't what she had hoped for when she ran off with her cousins.

"True," Buddy said. "But seeing Yuna out there could calm people down."

"They'll expect her to do the dirty work, like what we've BEEN doing," Paine added, looking at Dylan, who held her gaze.

"Yeah, but Yunie wants to help," Rikku argued. "Don't you?"

Yuna didn't answer. She felt like she was being put in the middle, once again.

"If you're going to help," Dylan began, "you can't neglect the places without temples, too. I mean, if your goal is the same as its been..."

"...It is," Yuna told her, but she was beginning to wonder if it would really be worth all the hassle. If Dylan was really telling the truth.

"Hey, I got an idea!" Rikku exclaimed. "We can be 'Your Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings'!"

"You mean taking out fiends and charging for it?" Buddy said, raising his eyebrows.

"E mega ed! (I like it!)" Brother cried.

"What do you think?" Paine asked Yuna, hiding her opinion rather well.

"Well, why not?" Yuna answered. "If that means we can help out people who are in trouble, then sure!"

"Right, that means sphere hunting's on hold!" Rikku added.

"Not necessarily," Dylan jumped in. "If we run across a place that's calm, we might as well poke our heads in. There's still plenty of spheres lying around."

"Sounds fair," Rikku agreed, nodding enthusiastically.

"Your Friendly neighborhood Gullwings!" Yuna cheered, grinning brightly. This was more her speed anyway.

"It's decided!" Brother declared. "Where to?"

Before Yuna could answer, the alarm sounded again, startling all of them.

"Wait a sec!" Buddy shouted, hopping over to his computer.

"Rinno ib. (Hurry up.)" Brother stood behind him, looking over his shoulder.

"What could this mean? Meyvn Nooj of the Youth League, ...and Baralai, praetor of New Yevon...gone." The last word hung in the air for a moment. "They've disappeared."

"Fascinating," Brother murmured, growing quiet for a second, then perking up right away again. "All right! Never mind. Now, Friendly Neighboring Gullwings... Where to?"

"I don't know," Yuna replied, turning to Dylan, who was talking to her brother, who had appeared out of nowhere. Addison tended to do that. "Dylan?"

"Yo," she said, pushing Addison to the side. The blonde grinned at Yuna, and she couldn't help but crack a smile. "What's up?"

"Where should we start?"

Dylan sighed, crossing her arms.

"You're not going to like this, but we should leave the temples for last," she said. Yuna frowned.

"You're right. I don't like that. Why?"

"If you get distracted by helping people at the temples, then you'll get caught up in that mess and miss the opportunities at the other places on our map." Yuna could see Addison nodding in agreement out of the corner of her eye. "If we head straight to the temples, well...that's going to lead us right into the middle of our problems. There are still some other things that need to be taken care of first." Dylan cocked her head. "Does that make sense?"

"...Yeah," Yuna finally answered. "I still don't like it, but I trust you."

}{}{}{

Of course, after that conversation, Addy proceeded to point out to me that if I kept pushing Yuna to the limit like that, she would eventually stop trusting me.

But that's where he was going to come in.

Addy was like my ambassador at that point, and I know he didn't mind, either; he found it as an excuse to be with Yuna more often. But anyway, he was the one person I completely trusted to not only take my side but Yuna's, too. So, in other words, he knew how to make her trust me.

Things were still fine when we got to the path to Djose Temple. The only thing one might consider to be a disturbance was Gippal, who was standing off to one side like he was waiting on us or something. (Honestly, that would NOT have surprised me.)

"Hey, it's Cid's little girl!" he exclaimed when he saw Rikku. Placing a hand on her head, he gave it a playful little shove. FLIRT.

"I have a name..." Rikku's complaint was obviously half-hearted.

"You seem close," Yuna commented, her eyes flicking over to Rikku and back to Gippal quickly.

"We made quite the couple," Gippal stated. Rikku gave him a shove, this time a little more genuine.

"Fryd yna oui cyoehk? (What are you saying?)" she whined. Now THAT was a background story I wanted to hear. Rikku's personal life during the first two years of the Calm. That must've been an adventure.

"Rikku's always good for a laugh," Gippal continued, ignoring her remark. "If you're here about digging, this isn't the best time."

"Well, there were fiends here too, right?" Rikku asked, getting back to business. "Want us to clean up for you?"

"Fiend hunting? What, you guys give up the sphere gig?"

"If we did, what would it matter to you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Touche."

"Right now we're helping people out," Yuna explained. "Maybe...you'd like to hire us?"

Gippal seriously considered this for a moment, like he was really going to hire us after Yuna's wimpy appeal.

"Nope," he finally responded. "You already took care of Sin. We can't go running to you every time we get into trouble." He walked up to Yuna, who stood her ground. "Hmph. I watch my own back."

"Hmph," Rikku growled. "Show-off!"

"Well, be careful," Yuna told him, her nice-girl interior shining through once again.

"You too," Gippal said, being completely serious. For once.

"Right."

"Come on," Paine, who had been silent the whole time, muttered, beginning to walk away.

"At least he's being honest," I told her, trotting after her. She let out a small laugh.

"Does he know how?" she said, not really asking me or anyone else in particular. The question was totally meant to be rhetorical.

}{}{}{

If there was one issue Yuna always felt okay to drag her feet on, it was the Syndicate. She absolutely HATED going to Guadosalam, especially when the main point of business there was to visit Leblanc. Even when the mission was to break into the chateau, Yuna still dreaded it. But she was sticking to Dylan's plan, until she found a legitimate reason to stray from it. After all, she'd been correct so far.

Upon entering Guadsalam, something drew Yuna up to the entrance to the Farplane. There was a single guard standing there, an old Guado with a kind face.

"Excuse me for the inconvenience, Lady Yuna," he said in a raspy voice. Bowing, he looked up into her eyes. "The Farplane is still too unstable. We can't risk anything happening to our visitors, especially someone like you."

For some reason, this didn't upset Yuna as much as it should've.

"That's okay," she heard herself say. "I have other things to do anyway."

Which was true. The real reason they were there was to get spheres, according to Dylan. That was a good reason. A very good reason.

So when Yuna and her friends entered the chateau later and poked their heads into the dining room, they were a little surprised to see Logos and Ormi there, without Leblanc. They were doing some sort of impersonation, but who it was supposed to be was a mystery.

"What are you doing?" Yuna asked them. She stepped into view, the others following her lead.

"The boss has been rather...depressed since Nooj went missing," Logos informed them.

"We wants to comfort her, see?" Ormi added.

"Oh, was that supposed to be Nooj?" Rikku asked, trying to hide her frown.

Logos grimaced. "That bad, was it?"

"Yup," the cousins admitted in unison, causing the henchmen to sigh.

"Even if you did sound like Nooj, do you think it would actually help?" Paine pointed out.

"It would!" they insisted. Paine rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say," she huffed.

"Maybe us showing up will give her a reason to get her shit together," Dylan suggested, shrugging.

"It's worth a shot," Rikku agreed, nodding enthusiastically. Yuna and Paine didn't respond; the former wasn't interested, and the latter just wanted to turn in early for the night.

}{}{}{

I knew talking to Leblanc wouldn't solve anything, but I had to do everything. I had to waste time. My brain was already working overtime on a plan, so I had to keep things going on schedule so I could manage on autopilot.

We were finally in Guadosalam. It really hit me when we were watching the spheres. Literally yards away was the one chance I had to see if my chase was worthwhile. I had to get to the Farplane before the night was over.

As Maechen talked to Yuna about the Zanarkand of one thousand years ago, of Lenne and Shuyin and the similarities, I was devising my plan. There was no backup. This absolutely had to work.

"I had something on the tip of my tongue," Maechen was saying when I snapped back to reality. "But then it slipped away... Something very important... Frustrating."

He let out a sigh, and I could tell Yuna was boiling.

"Well, I suppose I'll just have to think on it a little more," he continued. "Until next time, Lady Yuna. We are all connected. There may yet be a way to reunite with those who have gone."

Yuna shot straight up from her chair, startling Rikku, who had been absorbed in her own thoughts.

"What?" the former summoner gasped.

"Watch what you say," Paine said to Maechen, scolding him. It irked me a bit. Like she had any right to talk.

"Forgive me," Maechen said calmly as Yuna sat back down. "Consider it the ramblings of an old man."

"Well, we appreciate your story," I told him, standing myself. Yuna looked up at me, observing my next move. "But it's gotten late. I dunno about the rest of you, but a pillow and a bed sound REALLY appealing right now."

"AMEN, SISTER!" Rikku cried, jumping up and hugging me.

"I have to agree with that," Paine admitted, standing also. "Yuna, let's call it a night."

Yuna nodded, smiling. "Okay. We'll go to the hotel."

I smiled, too, but my reasons were so different. A pillow and a bed would've been my savior any other night in any other place.

But tonight, just this night, the only thing I wanted to do was get myself gone into the Farplane. Even if it was going to be for a minute, that would be enough reassurance. That was all I needed.


	17. Chapter 17: Sono Mae Ni Ienai Kotoba

Chapter 17: The Words I Couldn't Say Before (youtube - watch?v=MMmWnEhs_bs)

Memo: FINALLY. FINALLY. XD I have been waiting for AGES to share this scene. This has got to be one of the most vivid things that has ever popped into my head. Enjoy.

FLASHBACK START

Dylan let out a small sigh through her nose as she stepped to the director's podium. It was the last week of her freshman year of college, her last day, her last final. The task was to choose a song-one that they hadn't worked with before in class-and direct it while the school's orchestra sight-read it. When she had gotten the assignment, Dylan knew exactly what she was going to pick: the Final Battle theme from Final Fantasy X.

"You can tell the band anything you want for one minute," the professor had told them, "but after sixty seconds, you must begin. There are no do-overs."

_I don't need a do-over_, Dylan thought, smirking as the band passed around the sheet music.

"Your minute starts now," the prof called out from his chair in the audience. The other students sat quietly behind him.

"Okay, everyone," Dylan began, not bothering to file through the music as her classmates had. "Just watch me carefully. I'll give you distinct ones, especially when you have an important part coming in on the downbeat. Remember, this song gets more dramatic and builds over time. Don't push it at the beginning, okay? Just watch me. I know this song by heart."

Considering how she had arranged her own ending, had played FFX hundreds of times, and had the song on her iPod, that was no surprise.

"You may begin whenever you're ready," the prof said. Dylan didn't turn around to look at him. She was ready.

"This is for you," she whispered under her breath, lifting her hands to start the song.

If Dylan would've been able to watch herself direct, she would've seen a person who was literally one with the music. The emotions were written on her face, and she wasn't even looking at the music. Her eyes were closed tightly, but not once did she lose the band, or vice versa. All eyes were on her.

She could, however, feel the energy coursing through her arms and hands, all the way down through to her fingertips. Her mind was mixed with thoughts of the music and her memories of what this song stood for: friendship, heartbreak, tender memories that she tried to forget but could never let go...things like the comfort of his arms or the touch of his lips against her forehead, and especially the warmth of his hands that last time she had grabbed them, that last moment of desperation, possibility...

Despite being lost in the tangled web of her own thoughts, Dylan finished the song perfectly. Slowly she let her hands fall down to her sides again.

_I don't want to feel possessed by my emotions anymore_, she realized, hesitating to open her eyes. The orchestra members had already just started passing the music back. _I don't want to let my memories get the better of me_.

Without a word, she stepped off of the podium and to the wings backstage, walking out of the auditorium for the last time.

FLASHBACK END

"It's been such a lo-ong day," Rikku groaned, kicking off her shoes when the girls entered their room for the night.

"If it makes you feel any better, tomorrow will be even longer," Paine pointed out, sitting on her bed. Rikku growled.

"No, it doesn't!"

"C'mon, you two," Yuna said in her so-called "mom" voice. "We just need to sleep. Follow her lead."

Yuna gestured to Dylan, who was slowly putting away her things and dressing down to just her underdress and stockings. Yawning, the brunette then curled up on top of her bed, shoving her face into the pillow.

"Good night," she murmured, eyes closed.

"Since when are _you_ one to follow the status quo?" Rikku said, poking Dylan in the side. She jumped but kept her eyes shut.

"Since I'm tired. Good night."

Defeated, Rikku walked over to her own bunk and collapsed on top of it.

"You win, Yunie," she sighed. "We had better rest for tomorrow. Whatever we're doing."

"Saving civilians, destroying fiends...you know, the usual," Paine said with a smirk, leaning back into her pillow.

"Mmm...maybe finding a few more spheres along the way, too," Yuna added with a satisfied smile.

"_Now _you're talking," Rikku giggled. She then lowered her voice. "Okay, we should shut up now. Dylan's trying to sleep. G'night."

"Good night."

}{}{}{

I felt a little bit guilty for making them go to bed so early, but I think they were tired anyway, so did it even matter?

To me, no.

As soon as I knew all three of them were asleep, I slowly sat up as quietly as I could, slipping my shoes back on. This was going to be the hardest part. I was afraid the loud thuds from my rapid heartbeat would wake my friends before my shuffling around would.

Feeling my way to my bag, I dug around carefully, looking for the food and tea I had bought earlier that day. It wasn't for me; I wasn't even hungry. It was actually for somebody else.

It was a little bit cold that night, so I was glad I had brought the blanket as I trudged up the hill up above the inn. The same guard from earlier that afternoon was still there. He looked exhausted.

"Hello again," I said, smiling sympathetically.

"Good evening," he murmured, looking a little confused. "What brings you out at this time of night?"

"Well, I thought I might be able to interest you in some food and company in exchange for a conversation," I told him, holding out the blanket and sack of food. He looked interested.

"...Come sit here, child," he finally replied. I would've made a snappy remark about being called a child, but considering I was in the middle of brown-nosing, I had to let it go.

The two of us sat down off to the side of the entrance to the caverns that led to the Farplane. I tried to act disinterested and focused instead on setting out our little picnic.

"Thank you...?"

"Dylan," I offered, handing him the blanket.

"Thank you, Dylan," the Guado said, not offering his own name. I didn't mind. I didn't care about him anyway. "I rarely have visitors. So tell me, what do you want to know?"

"Well, we could start with the reasons the Farplane is unstable?" I suggested, pouring him a cup of the warm tea. He took it with his long-fingered hands and smiled.

"Ah, yes," he breathed, sipping the tea. No protests, so he must've liked it, or at least not noticed the sedative. "Earlier this year, my people noticed strange forces emanating from Macalania Woods, and also the Farplane. We deemed it to be unsafe, since we ourselves, as guardians, could not determine the source of the distressing imbalance."

"So you still haven't figured it out," I said, frowning.

"Maybe it is something you will discover on your own journey," the guard said with a lazy smile. "All I can tell you is that whatever the cause is is most likely centered in the deepest parts of the Farplane."

"Hnn, maybe we will discover it ourselves," I repeated. The supposed instability probably was connected with Shuyin and his recent actions.

The guard let out a drawn-out sigh.

"I do wish we were allowed to let people in," he admitted, closing his eyes. "So many have come by besides yourselves, wishing to visit their departed loved ones. I've had to turn them all away."

"Must be a tough job," I murmured. He nodded once.

"I even have my own to visit, and we are not permitted to." He yawned again. "The only way to fix this is with the help of the Ronso. But the way things are now..."

He trailed off, and I couldn't tell if he was lost in thought or asleep yet.

"...You don't think the conflict with the two groups will resolve then?" I asked him. No response. It was because he was asleep. My heart leapt, and I jumped to my feet, a grin spreading across my face.

Giggling quietly, I ran into the caverns, practically skipping. I literally patted myself on the back for being so damn clever. Who'd have thought I'd be such a good little liar?

Finally, I reached the stone steps. Just yards away was the Farplane entrance. I stopped for just a second, my mind flashing back to the last time I had been there. Since I had chosen to stay behind two years ago, that meant this was the first time I'd ever go to the Farplane. And the last.

I could've gone for a lot of reasons, honestly. I knew plenty of deceased people. Hell, I easily could've gone for Trisha, or Auron, or any other person I had lost at that point. But I had only one reason for being there that night. There was only one person I wanted to see: Tidus.

Slowly I made my way up the steps, my heart pounding in my throat. I threw out a quick prayer that I wouldn't be disappointed, and, taking a deep breath, I stepped through the glowing entrance.

The air was so calm and cool, it felt so wonderful. I opened my eyes and looked around. There were pyreflies everywhere. I couldn't believe how many. Even the game never displayed it like this.

I let out my breath in a gasp, walking toward the center of the platform. Over the side I could see endless fields of flowers and tall grass. If this was Heaven...I was ready to die.

Suddenly, I felt a little bit of warmth pass by my cheek, and I heard the ghostly wail of death. It startled me at first, but after a moment, I knew. I stopped walking, and one pyrefly turned into five, and five into ten.

Closing my eyes, I felt the pyreflies brush against my hair and my cheeks, bouncing off of my arms and legs. One even flew against my eyelashes clumsily. That was surprisingly reassuring.

A few seconds later, I felt a warm touch on my shoulder. I didn't dare move. Was it my imagination, or maybe a memory? I didn't want to ruin it.

The warmth moved from my shoulder to around my waist. I then felt something resting against the side of my heart. My heart was in my throat still.

"Hey."

If my heart really had been in my throat, I would've definitely gagged it up.

Slowly, I lifted my hand and reached toward whatever was resting against my head. My fingertips touched hair, then skin.

"...Is this a...a memory?" I asked him, keeping my hand on his cheek.

"No," he answered.

I opened my eyes and looked down. The arms around my waist were decorated with the familiar arm bands.

Gently, like if I wasn't he would shatter, I pulled his arms off of me and turned around.

If it was a dream, or a memory, or an illusion, I think it still would've been worth it.

Tawny, sandy, messy, dirty blonde hair. Tan, glowing skin. And the blue eyes with flecks of hazel if you looked hard enough. And trust me, I was looking hard enough.

"Am I allowed to hug you?" I asked him. "Can I do that?"

"I won't disappear unless you want me to," he replied.

"Don't."

Tidus smiled as he pulled me toward him. For a second I couldn't breathe. I felt like I was dying. Was it real? He felt real. I remembered the last time I had hugged him, and I realized it felt the same.

"I don't even know what to say," I admitted, feeling tears roll down from my eyes.

"How about, 'Sorry for taking so long'?" he teased me, holding me tightly.

"Honestly, I'm sorry it took so long," I said, smiling a little. "But...this will be over soon."

Pulling away, I looked him in the eyes.

"As long as Yuna keeps doing what she's supposed to, you can come back, right?" I asked, expecting a prompt answer. Tidus faltered, and suddenly I got really nervous. "Right? Though, I do feel bad for using her, but as long as she does what she's supposed to, things should be fine, right...?"

"It's not just about her," he told me. "It's more based on you now. You have to make the right decisions."

"...I'm confused," I admitted.

"I'm saying that now...whether or not I come back is based on what you do, not what Yuna does. It's about _your_ decisions, not hers."

Shit. Why didn't someone tell me this earlier?

"How do I know if I'm doing the right thing!" I cried, getting worried. "Is this okay? Am I messing things up by being here?"

"I don't know," he replied, shrugging. "Don't leave yet, though."

I wasn't going to, but with this new information, my mind was really getting a work out. Now I REALLY had a reason to feel guilty.

"How would you know this?" I pointed out, trying to find loopholes.

"Well, it only makes sense, right? Because, before, it would've been more about Yuna's decisions, because she was the one who affected me most. But now it's on you." Tidus shook his head quickly. "Not to put pressure on you."

"Too late," I groaned, grimacing. I had to think. Had my decisions thus far been pushing us apart or bringing us together? I would assume the latter, considering for tonight, at least, we were together again.

"Sorry..." He grinned sheepishly, and internally I melted. Who said I had to worry about it now? Couldn't I just enjoy being with him for just a little longer?

"It's okay," I told him. I didn't know if it was. "I don't know when I'll get to see you again. But... I stand by what I said before: I'm going to find a way to bring you back. I promise. I swear on my life."

"You'll be fine," he assured me, smiling. "I trust you."

It was so weird. Everyone trusted me better than I trusted myself. I knew I was lying to most of those people, with Tidus being an exception, and yet they still believed me. I didn't know if I was lying to myself, and I didn't know what to think.

"I don't want you to leave," Tidus said, sighing, "but it's dangerous here. Because-"

"I know, remember?" I smirked, and he matched it.

"Fine, fine. But still..."

"...I know."

Inhaling deeply, I embraced him one more time, closing my eyes. I didn't know if that would be the last time or not, and for the first time in a while, I became truly scared. What if I failed him? What if I couldn't bring him back? What was I going to do...?

When I opened my eyes, he wasn't there anymore. I had my answer. I had no choice but to at least try. I had to try.

A few minutes later, I was back at the inn, curled up under the covers, face in my pillow to muffle the sobs.

}{}{}{

"Waaaaaakey wakey!"

Launching herself at her brunette friend, Rikku hugged Dylan's sleeping figure tightly.

"Time to get up, sleepy!" she chirped in Dylan's ear.

"Get off."

Rikku sat up slowly, a little surprised at the tone her friend gave her. Admittedly, she was never a morning person, but...

"Geez, you were asleep the earliest out of all of us, and you're still tired?" Paine said as Dylan slowly sat upright.

"I didn't sleep well, to say the least," she mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. There were very visible dark circles under her eyes.

"Well, we'll take it easy today, then," Yuna said, a little concerned. She had never seen Dylan that out of it before, or at least not in a while.

As if to contradict her thoughts, though, Dylan lifted her head and smiled kindly at Yuna. Yuna couldn't help but smile back. She genuinely cared about Dylan, like a sister or family member, just like Rikku and Paine. Even though she didn't know much of what happened in the two years that had passed between them, she still trusted her. She had come to that conclusion last night. After all, there was no reason not to.

Within an hour, the girls had packed up and made their way back onto the Thunder Plains, where Cid was still moping, as sullen as ever.

"Are you still bummed out about that, Pops?" Rikku asked her dad, peering up at him.

"Who asked you!" he snapped, turning away quickly. Rikku pouted.

"Let's go," Paine said. She obviously thought it was a waste of time.

The girls started to proceed, but then they heard a meek voice call after them:

"Yuna. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

"Keep walking," Dylan muttered under her breath. So they did.


	18. Chapter 18: What a Day

Chapter 18: What a Day (youtube - 0F3BgMAqS64)

Memo: Me muero, muero, muero. :) Utada-san for the win this time. (Sorry, Koda. lol) This is the last "uneventful" chapter for a while, so enjoy the calm while it lasts...the storm is coming. 3

FLASHBACK START

"So I think we've encountered every kind of species imaginable," Paine said, walking behind Yuna and Dylan, who were leading the way through the Bikanel Desert, back to the hovercraft.

"What makes you say that?" Rikku chirped, bounding alongside her silver-haired friend.

"Hypello, Guado, Ronso, Al Bhed, and now these talking cacti." Her ruby eyes met Rikku's green ones for a moment. "And you're wondering what I meant?"

"Plus unsent, fiends, and aeons," Yuna added, turning around and walking backward.

"And moogles. Those are very important," Dylan said with a laugh. "Kupo. Kupo~...why do they say that anyway?"

"You're really amusing when you're tired," Paine said, chuckling under her breath.

"Glad I can be of service to you."

"Why the heck are you so tired anyway?" Rikku asked, giggling. Dylan forced a laugh.

"I think trying to get to bed early didn't work out in my favor," she lied, smirking.

FLASHBACK END

To be perfectly honest with you all, I have never fully approved of tourism, or at least making myself look like a tourist. I hate the sense of not knowing what I'm doing or being lost, so whenever I went somewhere new, I would pretend I knew more than I did if I hadn't already done some research on the place I was visiting. It always worked, and I'm pretty proud of it.

I also feel like I should've passed that idea on to other people, especially the people of Spira. _Especially_ the people visiting the Calm Lands. All of these people should've done their research, and they should've known that the cave outside of the plains was dangerous. But did that stop them? No, of course not.

Seriously, people of low intelligence should probably just be weeded out. But unfortunately, I was with Yuna, and she would never turn away a person in need, especially since I had told her-now falsely-that doing good would bring Tidus back.

"Fiends, from deep in the cave!" a man shouted at us when we reached the cave entrance. There was a large crowd of commoners gathered around, probably other guests who had wanted to go in and had changed their minds.

"There are still some people trapped inside!" another guy exclaimed. "There's nothing we can do to help them..."

I could tell by the bitter look on Yuna's face that she was NOT happy about this situation and felt like smacking around whoever had given birth to the idea of turning a death trap into a tourist trap, but her expression softened when an elderly woman approached us.

"Please, won't you help us rescue the people left behind?" she asked us, and Yuna let out a quiet sigh.

"All right, we'll help," she replied, helpless to her sense of duty.

"You are most kind," the woman said with a smile.

"Your Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings open for business!" Buddy cried, stepping in. Bet that lady didn't think we were so sweet after that.

The cave itself wasn't so intimidating, it turned out. It was the people that were the problem.

"I don't want to be in this small of a group!" a mother of two said angrily. "Come back to us when you have more people with you."

"Look, you're the one in danger here," I snapped, glowering. "You don't have a choice-either come with us or be eaten by fiends."

When her children started complaining, she finally gave in, but I noticed that when we got her out, she didn't thank us.

"These people are rotten!" Rikku sighed heavily after we had discovered the last group of people: a pair of lovers and a random civilian. "They won't cooperate to save their own lives!"

"Which makes me wonder why we still save them," Paine muttered.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," I said quietly. Yuna hummed a low note of agreement.

"People forget what it was like before the Calm," she murmured as we led the captives out.

"And they forget that we're still in danger now, too," I added, frowning.

"Vegnagun..." Rikku said softly. "A machina that can think for its own. If it weren't so dangerous, I'd think it was the coolest thing ever..."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I love your honesty."

Rikku grinned brightly, becoming herself again.

"C'mon, let's go back to the cave," Yuna said as the captives ran past us, cheering like idiots. "There's still stuff to explore."

}{}{}{

When Yuna had said there was more to discover in the cave, she didn't have an old aeon in mind. But, to her surprise and horror, Yojimbo, the samurai-like warrior aeon, was waiting for them in the depths of the cave.

"Please, tell me!" she shouted at its blank, staring face. "Why is this happening?"

"Yuna, it's not going to answer you," Dylan said sadly, pulling the brunette back gently by the shoulder.

"...Do we really have to fight it, too?"

There wasn't a tactful and honest answer to the question, so the others stayed silent. Yuna's frown deepened.

_I don't understand any of this_, she thought as the battle began. _I feel so alone. I have never felt this way in my whole life, such a sense of confusion_...

She glanced at her friends, and her vision blurred with tears.

_Dylan knows what's going on, but she can't tell me. I know she's just trying to be helpful, but I'm so confused. Begging won't help, I know that_...

Clearing her throat quietly, Yuna changed to her gunner dressphere, knowing she could just shoot the damn thing to make herself feel better.

_I feel alone. I feel so alone_, she thought, loading the aeon with lead. _Who am I supposed to turn to in times like this_...?

Suddenly, a feeling of relief washed over Yuna, making her heart race.

Addison. The only neutral party in her mind.

"Geez, Yuna, I think you taught it a good lesson," Paine said, making Yuna snap back to reality. She lowered her smoking guns and looked at Yojimbo, who faded out. The only evidence he'd been there was the giant hole in the ground.

"Hello!" Rikku called out into the darkness.

"Careful," Paine warned her. "Someone might answer."

"Aaaaand that's enough being creeped out for the day!" Dylan said with a laugh. "Come on, back to the ship?"

}{}{}{

"Addison."

I think I freaked Addy out, using his full name like that. But I wanted his full attention, and he understood that.

"What's up, Dyl?" he asked, swiveling on a barstool like a little kid.

"Keep your ADD in check while I tell you something important," I told him, kicking his foot lightly. The swiveling stopped.

"What?" he repeated.

"Last night, we were in Guadosalam, you know?" He nodded, attentive. "...I went to the Farplane. I saw _him_."

Addy's eyes widened a little. "You did? For real?"

"Yeah."

"...And yet you don't sound completely thrilled about this because...?"

I sighed heavily, hopping up onto the barstool next to my brother and resting my head in my hand.

"Because he said things that made me feel really guilty," I answered, vague.

"And those things were...?"

I sighed again.

"Well...you know how I've been using Yuna and telling her to do everything that you have to do in the game to get Tidus back?" Again, an attentive nod. "Tidus said it isn't necessary. Yuna doesn't matter anymore...it's all on me."

"On you?"

"As in, what I do, not what Yuna does, decides if he can come back."

"Why are you upset?"

"Because I don't know if I'm doing the right things!" I cried, burying my face into my hands in frustration. "What if I've been messing everything up? How am I supposed to know! Plus, this means I've been manipulating Yuna for no good reason! How do I explain that to her?"

"Chill out, sister face."

I laughed as Addy pulled my hands away from my face. Sister face...hadn't heard THAT one in a while.

"The only thing you can do is be totally cliché and follow your heart," he admitted. "Doesn't that make sense? I mean, that's what brought him out to the Farplane. You're connected in your own ways, riiight?"

I smiled, blushing a little.

"That really does sound pretty cliché..." I admitted, laughing quietly.

"Which means it'll work." Addy patted my cheek like I was a kid. "Just do what you think is right. I'll back you up."

"Thanks, Addy," I said, knowing he knew I was more grateful than I could simply say. "But don't tell Yuna."

"About which parts? What if she asks me?"

I raised my eyebrows. "You guys talk that much?" He nodded, his eyes honest. "Well, just don't tell her about the Farplane or Tidus. If she asks why I'm actually tired, you can tell her I was up all night doing indisclosable activities."

Addy let out a short "HAH!", grinning broadly.

"Sounds like my kind of answer. Done."

}{}{}{

"Addison."

"Damn, I'm popular today," Addison said, twirling around on his barstool to face Yuna, who stared up at him, confused.

"Popular?" she echoed. Addison only grinned.

"What's up?" he asked the brunette, who cautiously sat on the barstool next to him.

"Addison...how much do you know about what Dylan knows?" she began, her fingers tracing the wood on the bar counter.

"What do you mean? What section of my infinite knowledge would you like to pick at? Volume and section number, please."

Yuna grinned, already feeling better.

"I don't really know, specifically," she admitted, her smile fading. "I've...just felt really alone lately."

"Yeah, it seems to be going around," he said, brushing a gold curl off of his forehead.

"Really? ...That makes me feel a bit selfish."

"No no no, that was not my intention," Addison said quickly, waving his hands in a way so similar to Dylan that Yuna couldn't help but smile.

"Who do you mean? Dylan?"

"Ahh, I always knew you were smart, Yuna. Yes, Dylan is a good example."

"She seemed off today," Yuna continued. "She said she didn't sleep well. Did she tell you why?"

"Yes."

"Am I allowed to know?"

"Depends on what you want to know."

Yuna let out a quiet laugh. "Well, why is she really so tired?"

"Because she didn't sleep but two hours."

Yuna gasped. "Why?"

"She was out."

"Out...?"

"Sorry, that's all I'm allowed to tell you." Addison smiled sadly. "I want to tell you, but she is my sister."

Yuna shook her head quickly. "It's okay," she assured him. "I feel like you're the only one who's always honest with me."

"Dylan only lies for good reasons," Addison said with a half-smile. "And trust me, I'm still being honest. She lies to protect things, which is a good reason."

"..." Yuna didn't reply, mostly because she didn't know how. To protect what?

"Oh, looks like we're almost to Gagazet," Addison said, looking out the big windows up above. "Don't worry too much, okay? And if you do, you can always come vent to me. I'm used to it."

Smiling once again, Yuna nodded. "Thank you so much."

Addison smiled back. "No problemo, Yuna."

Already feeling a lot better, Yuna ran up to the bridge, and soon she and the other girls were standing at the base of Mount Gagazet once again. Kimahri was there, like he had been waiting for them.

"Yuna must leave," he said before Yuna could greet him. "Ronso youth use force. Seek vengeance for fallen Ronso. Garik lead angry Ronso youth. Decide to take revenge on Guado. Garik go to battle. Now Garik climb peak, tell mountain battle plan."

"And you're just gonna wait here?" Rikku asked, incredulous.

"Garik hear voice of mountain. Garik change mind. Kimahri hope so."

"And if he doesn't?" Paine said.

"Kimahri stop Ronso youth."

"That's crazy," Yuna blurted out. Goodness..._maybe I spend too much time around Addison_...

"Elder Kimahri have no choice."

"Yunie, this isn't good," Rikku whispered.

"There's still time. Should we follow them?" Paine asked.

"We could catch up pretty easily even on foot," Dylan added.

"We're going up," Yuna declared. "Maybe we can reason with him."

"If Yuna go, Kimahri think Garik listen," Kimahri responded. "Maybe. If not, Kimahri deal with Garik."

}{}{}{

Garik was practically waiting for us at the top of the mountain, a decent group of followers standing behind him.

"Ronso hold anger no longer," he bellowed through the wind at us. "Ronso youth fearless. Go to battle with Guado!"

"And if I ask you not to go?" Yuna said, taking a step forward. Honestly, I felt like that wasn't even an issue. It was more like, What if the Guado don't fight you? You'll have nothing to do. But I guess no one else thought of that besides me.

"Mountain tell Ronso to go!" Garik shouted back.

"What if you can't go?" Yuna persisted, taking a few more steps forward. We followed behind her in silence, then stopped as she pulled out her gun.

"Summoner not hold Ronso anger with puny arms," Garik boasted. He had made a sweet pun without knowing it.

"But if I do, you will stop this talk of vengeance."

"Very well, but Garik never fall!" Garik stepped away from his comrades, with only one brave enough to follow him forward.

"Somebody's a few spheres short of a Garment Grid," Rikku sighed quietly.

"Typical Ronso," Paine responded, shrugging.

"Good point..." A grin spread across Rikku's face. "But I was talking about Yunie."

As expected, the battle didn't last long. Honestly, I felt a little sorry for the Ronso kids, but it had to be done.

"Enough vengeance, Garik," Yuna said sternly.

"Ronso keep word," Garik said quietly, getting to his feet shakily. I think we might've hurt him a bit with all the sword bashing. "Yuna defeat Garik in battle. Garik honor Yuna's wish. Not go to battle."

"Thank you," Yuna murmured as the other littler Ronso guy scurried off.

"Garik not need thanks. Garik underestimate Yuna." Did he learn anything? Probably not. "Garik now understand he is weak in battle. Garik wait. Destroy Guado after he become better warrior."

Definitely not.

With our work done, we proceeded on to Zanarkand by foot, since we were already halfway there anyway. As we walked and fought and walked some more, I got the steadily increasing feeling that Yuna was somewhat avoiding me.

I knew Addison was involved. What did he say that made her suspicious of me?

I didn't have the heart to ask, because I didn't want to bring up something bad, especially in Zanarkand.

"I've heard that fiends have been appearing at the temples," Isaaru said to us when we arrived. "Do you know anything?"

"They're coming from the Chambers of the Fayth," Yuna answered, her tone sad.

"It pains me to hear that," Isaaru admitted.

"And Zanarkand?" Paine asked.

"There are fiends, as always. No more, no fewer. But the ruin tours are another matter." Isaaru let out a pathetic sigh. "The only things thriving here are the monkeys."

Right on cue, a monkey hopped up onto Isaaru's shoulder, then back down again. Rikku and I exchanged grins.

"To make matters worse, Cid ran off a while ago and hasn't come back," he added. Our smiles faded. "I guess that makes me Zanarkand's lone defender. Well, time to do some defending."

Isaaru smiled, but he didn't look as pained as I had expected. Perhaps he knew all along it would come to this.

"Until next time," he said quietly.

I frowned. Forever fated to play among the dead...didn't actually sound so bad.


	19. Chapter 19: Getting Lost

Chapter 19: Getting Lost

Memo: Wow. I cannot believe I have gotten this far. I'm always astonished to see how these characters grow and change through the story. And now, things are beginning to get interesting for them. Thanks for reading, and enjoy. :)

FLASHBACK START

Pressing a hand to her cheek, Emi huffed a sigh as she looked at Dylan, who was sitting on her bed. She could see the brunette's eyes sticking daggers into the cream carpet beneath her feet.

"...I don't want to argue with you anymore," Dylan finally said through clenched teeth. "I don't expect you to understand my point of view, but I thought you might respect it."

"I'm just being honest," Emi admitted, not moving. She just stared at Dylan, a mix of anger and concern in her heart. "You're being irrational."

"If you knew what I've lost-"

Dylan stopped herself, squeezing her eyes shut. When they opened again, there were tears.

"I...I'm just asking you to be understanding."

_How can I be_? Emi wondered. _I don't think I can be. I don't understand. There's no way. Not unless I see what she sees someday_.

FLASHBACK END

Had this been a mission in any other place, Yuna would've marched herself and her comrades straight to the temple. But this was Besaid, and although she didn't spend her early years here, she considered this to be home, where she could find her family. And family comes first, after all.

Had this been a mission in Besaid at any other time, Yuna would've gone to Wakka first. He was like her brother, and he basically ran the village, despite not having a title. But this instance, Yuna went to Lulu first. Even though Yuna knew Lulu was fully capable of laying the smack-down, she wanted to make sure she was safe, for the baby's sake.

"The fiends?" Yuna gasped when she reached her sister-figure. Lulu looked up at Yuna calmly.

"They're coming from inside the temple," she replied. "But it's all right. Wakka and the others fought them off. Luckily no one was hurt."

"Guess Your Friendly Neighborhood Gullwings won't be needed," Buddy said, noticeably disappointed.

"Any fiends they missed may still be wandering around," Lulu continued, standing. She still looked pretty good, all things considered. "Wakka and the rest split up to track them down. Give them a hand."

"The Gullwings are on the job. We'll even give you our special bargain price." Buddy butting in again. Yuna felt embarrassed as Lulu made a face like this: -_-U

"That's nice," she muttered.

"Sorry, Lulu!" Yuna apologized.

"That's okay, it's all right. Now go." Lulu seemed more concerned with the state of Besaid rather than her finances. "Take a look around. People in the village will feel better knowing you're here, Yuna."

Yuna nodded once, walking out of the tiny house. She noticed Shinra up to something just outside, and she couldn't help but ask. It looked pretty interesting.

"Whatcha up to?" she asked him, bending over to get a better view.

"Installing a CommSphere," he answered, not looking up from his work. "You never know when you might need a CommSphere."

"A new invention of yours?"

Unexpectedly, Brother's voice spoke instead of Shinra's.

"Shinra, did you fall and get a boo-boo?" he said, his voice sounding like it might be coming through a transmission.

"Here's the perfect guinea pig," Shinra said to himself as Yuna approached the sphere.

"Oh! I can see Yuna!" Brother cried happily.

"Great. Now there's just another way for him to stalk you," Dylan said, shaking her head. "C'mon, Yuna, let's go find Wakka."

Yuna nodded, hearing Brother's shouts of "More, more!" behind them as they ran off.

The girls found Wakka and Beclem outside of the temple, and-to no one's surprise-they were locked in a heated argument.

"What's there to decide, Wakka?" Beclem was saying, anger overwhelming his voice more than usual. "We can finish off the fiends right here and now."

"Burning down the temple is going too far!" Wakka shouted. Rikku's eyes widened, and she looked at Dylan.

"They wouldn't, would they?" she mouthed. Dylan shook her head.

"Not with Wakka around," she whispered back.

"You have another suggestion?" Beclem hissed, making Wakka's face screw up in frustration. "We have to do something. What if the fiends keep coming? Or maybe you don't mind putting your family in danger?"

"Hey! All we gotta do is stop the fiends, ya?"

Wakka didn't wait for an answer; instead he bolted into the temple. Nobody followed him at first, then Beclem blinked a couple of times and walked after him. Yuna looked at her friends, then nodded, indicating that they should also follow.

"Wakka's inside, fighting fiends," Beclem said to them when they found him in the main centre. "It would be so simple to burn this place down and take the fiends with it. Praying to them never did anyone any good. You're the one who defeated Sin. You should know."

Pursing her lips, Yuna ignored his harsh words and began to make her way up the stairs.

"Going to help him?" Beclem asked. "I won't wait much longer."

"You want to see it burn that badly?" Yuna finally snapped, turning around to face him.

"It's for the safety of the village."

}{}{}{

Even as we proceeded through the former Cloister of Trials, I could feel the fury eminating from Yuna. Beclem had really pushed all of her buttons. All of the _wrong _ones.

Soon we found Wakka sitting against a wall, out of energy. Yuna seemed to melt a bit when she saw him, softening up at the sight of her brother figure.

"Wakka!" she cried, the four of us running to him.

"You okay?" Rikku asked, concerned.

"Just a few scratches, eh?" he assured us. "Nothin' to worry about."

"Whiiich means you're lying," I said with a sigh, shaking my head.

"There are too many," Paine declared. "Let's get out while we can. The man was right: We have to use fire."

Predictably, Wakka ignored her. "Whatever's controlling the fiends must be down there." He gestured to the Chamber of the Fayth. "Take that bad boy out."

"And we won't need fire," Yuna added quickly. Paine got the hint and backed off.

"Fair enough," she stated.

"Wakka, stay here," Yuna said, straightening up.

"Why?" he protested.

"Wouldn't want you to overdo it, Daddy," Rikku teased him, linking arms with me. The two of us ran off toward the elevator, Paine and Yuna following behind us.

"Hey, wait up!" he cried, but the elevator was already moving down, and soon we were standing at the chamber's entrance. I think by this point, Yuna knew what was coming, but she still didn't know how to handle it. I can barely imagine what she must've felt like, seeing Valefor come before her again.

"An aeon?"

I whipped around to see Wakka had caught up to us, the little sneak.

"No...something's not right..." Yuna murmured, staring at the aeon as if in a trance.

"Wakka, stay back!" Rikku cried. "It's not safe!"

"You are too funny," I laughed, changing into the Warrior dressphere. Rikku just looked at me.

"Me?" she asked, pointing at herself, clad in her Gun Mage outfit.

"Yes, you and Wakka. Remember when you hated each other? You got along until you actually learned stuff about each other, then you hated each other-"

"And now they're like family," Yuna finished, a genuine smile appearing on her face.

"Yes! Exactly!"

I think Paine was the only one really fighting Valefor, but the aeon wasn't all that strong to begin with, so it was a bit of a non-issue.

"Isn't it weird how that kind of thing changed?" I continued, unable to hide a grin.

"Will you stop it?" Wakka said, reddening. "You're embarrassing me, ya!"

"Sorry, tubby!" Rikku and I said in unison, cackling.

"Are you guys done over there? 'Cause I'm done over here."

We all turned to see Paine standing there triumphantly, Valefor slain.

"That was my very first aeon," Yuna said, immediately darkening the mood.

"Hm," Paine grunted, sticking her sword into the floor. I could tell she wanted to say more, but something stopped her-probably the fact that Yuna had gotten defensive earlier.

"I grew up here in Besaid," she continued. "This is my home. I became a summoner here. I have to protect this place."

Nothing was weird about what she said. It was how she said it that bothered me. In the game, there was always a little pause before that last line, where she mentioned Tidus in her thoughts. But just then, she didn't pause. It all flowed together...which made nothing flow together.

I heard Wakka murmur Yuna's name, but she didn't seem to notice. She was just as wrapped up in her thoughts as I was.

Together, the five of us walked out of the Cloister of Trials and back to the main centre area of the temple. Beclem was standing there, still waiting on us.

"The job's done," Paine told him.

"I see. Glad to see you're not hurt." Beclem glanced at Wakka, whose face was still a bit clammy and red. "Or...are you? Aren't you going to be a father soon? What if something had happened to you? What then?"

Beclem didn't wait for an answer, once again his impatience taking over.

"Quiet, meanie!" Rikku shouted after him.

"It's okay," Wakka said quietly. "What can I say. He's got a point."

"Wakka..." Yuna whispered.

"If we die trying to save one memory, we risk losing them all," he continued.

"But, what if it's a really important memory?" Rikku argued.

"'Memories are nice, but that's all they are.'" Wakka cast a knowing look at Rikku, and she looked away, caught. "It's an Al Bhed saying, ya?"

"Well, yeah, but..."

}{}{}{

For some reason, when she and her friends arrived in Kilika, Yuna felt a bit more at ease. Maybe it was because she wasn't as attached to this place, or maybe it was because she knew what was coming.

Even seeing Dona was completely predictable.

"My, my, my, my..." The former summoner put a hand on her hip, drumming her fingers. "What brings you here?"

"You really have to ask?" Dylan mumbled.

"We heard fiends were coming from the temple," Yuna said.

"And you just had to come running," Dona finished.

"Well, uh, I wouldn't say that."

"I'm not even so sure there are any fiends."

"You haven't checked?" Paine asked, not hiding her surprise.

"I'm in the Youth League," Dona reminded her, a smirk appearing on her face. "Do you think they'd let me in the temple?"

"So now what? We giving up?" Rikku jumped in, looking at her cousin and Dylan.

"Let's take a look first," Yuna responded, not bothering to consult Dylan. She already knew she'd have the same answer.

"You'll never get near the temple. The Youth League's blockaded the forest entrance," Dona told them. "As they should. We can't have those temple vermin crawling into town now, can we? Besides, it spares me from having to see that sulky face."

"Sulky face..." Rikku thought a moment, then perked up. "Barthello?"

"Of course. He's with New Yevon, so naturally he's in the temple. But then it's really none of my business."

"Then we'll make it ours," Yuna said, stepping in. "Besides, I'm worried about the fiends."

"If you want to go that badly, I won't stop you. But they're turning people away at the gate," Dona pointed out, shifting her weight from one hip to the other. She had a look of deep thought on her face, so none of the girls bothered to wreck the train of thought. "I've got it. I'll distract one of the guards. That's your chance to run through."

Without confirming the plan with the Gullwings, Dona left the scene in a rush. The girls had no choice but to follow her.

"I knew she was worried about him," Yuna muttered as the girls headed through Kilika toward the gates, where Dona was waiting for them. She wasn't standing idly around, though; Dona had already put her magic to work on the guard.

"I think it's working!" Rikku whispered excitedly as Dylan pulled her out of sight with the others.

"That leaves one," Paine added, nodding toward the other guard. "Let's wait for our chance, and take it."

"Looks like our chance is here," Dylan said, pulling Rikku along with her as she dashed toward the gate. She didn't really care if Yuna and Paine followed her; after all, they'd likely have other chances. But all four girls managed to sneak by unnoticed until it was already too late.

"You, what are you doing!" a guard shouted at them after they'd already passed through the gate. Yuna gasped, picking up the pace.

"Run!" Paine shouted, bolting off with the others.

"There's a hidden path through the woods," Dona shouted after them. "Walk the treetops!"

}{}{}{

Dona was right, probably for the first time in her whole life. But it didn't matter; I already knew, and Yuna and the others already knew I knew, so Dona's information was a waste of time.

Another waste of time included saving Barthello the Dimwitted from the fiends. For God's sake, the guy is huge and buff and used to be a summoner's guardian! You'd THINK he could handle it on his own. But no. Leave it to us to find him cowering a corner.

"If the fiends reach the town, they'll reach...Dona!" was the first thing he blathered after we saved his ass.

"They won't," Yuna assured him.

"Thanks." That's more like it.

"Dona wants to see you," Rikku cut in, getting straight to the point like always. "Well, she didn't come right out and say it, but you can kinda tell."

"I want to see her, too," Barthello confessed, hanging his head. "Even if we believe different things, I'll always feel the same about her. The time of the summoners may have passed, but I will always be Dona's guardian." He brightened up again, the doofus enthusiasm back on his face. "I live only to protect her!"

"And you can say that with a straight face?" Paine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Paine, he's beyond hope," I told her as Barthello bellowed Dona's name and took off like a shot. "Don't waste your energy on that one."

"He'll definitely take it all," Yuna sighed, a faint smile on her lips. "Come on, I know by now where we need to go."

Yuna, once again unknowingly laying on the guilt trip for me. I don't know how she didn't absolutely despise me, because I was beginning to hate myself. Tidus' words kept ringing in my head like an alarm. Was this the right thing?

Yuna's quiet murmur drew back to reality.

"Again..." she said, looking at Ifrit, our old friend.

"An aeon?" Paine guessed.

"Yeah."

"Yunie..." Rikku whimpered, hanging on to her cousin's arm gently.

"I know. I'm ready."

We were all ready for that fight, and the giant hole that resulted. I knew that Gippal's disappearance was coming up, and I think the others knew it, too. It wasn't until we made a pitstop at Bevelle that things got unpredictable, even for me.

The guide book had told me that, even though there was not much dialogue other than the gun scene, it was still important to stop in Bevelle before proceeding to Djose Temple and falling into that drama. Besides, it was an unusually good place to take a break, other than the ship.

"There's fresh air here," Rikku said, inhaling deeply as we stood idly at the end of the walkway. I realized once, two years ago, the eight of us had fought Seymour here, and my hands got clammy just thinking about it.

"Was that...Gippal?" Rikku said suddenly, looking up at the roof. Sure enough, someone who resembled the blonde was slinking around. "What's he doing here?"

"I feel like it's our job to find out," Paine said gruffly, leading the way.

So far, everything was happening as it should. We would then proceed to watch a dramatic scene with guns, ala DBSK's live for Wrong Number, and then off to Djose Temple. Like I said: completely predictable.

We were running into the Cathedral when suddenly we saw a girl ahead of us. Even with the shadows, I knew who it was. I just tried to ignore it, to not believe it.

"Hey."

And then she said that.

"..."

I looked at Emi, trying not to be completely hateful. But I saw the unchanged look on her face, like she hadn't thought about our last meeting at all since then. I also noticed the bridge of her nose was crooked. Well, damn, I must've done some serious damage.

"What's going on?" Paine asked her. Emi looked at her, ignoring me. Her hair was pulled straight back so I could see her face clearly. She kept a straight face.

"...I want to join your group."

"I'm sorry, but what the fuck?"

Everybody turned to look at me like there was something wrong with me. But, um, by the way, this was REALLY WEIRD!

"Seriously, why?" I said, trying to stay a little bit civil for the sake of communication.

"Leblanc isn't actively hunting spheres anymore," Emi replied, looking straight at Yuna. Right to the point, as always. "You are my only other option."

"Let's talk about this one," I said quickly, grabbing Yuna and Rikku and walking off with them stumbling behind.

"Dylan-"

"What the hell is she up to?" I growled, throwing the cousins out in front of me as Paine walked over. "I don't trust her. I don't."

"Well...I know you guys don't get along, but shouldn't we give her a chance before we just turn her down?" Paine asked.

"No."

"Dyl, c'mon." Rikku shook my shoulders. "You never know. She might actually want to help us. Or even you."

I cast one look over my shoulder at my former best friend. She wasn't watching us; instead she was looking down at her feet, pigeon-toed like always. What was she up to, exactly?

"Think of it this way."

I turned back to Yuna, who smiled.

"If we take her in, we can make her do all the dirty work," she said with a grin. Ah, now _that _I couldn't resist.

"...Fine. It's up to you, Yuna," I said, lowering my head to hide the devious grin.

}{}{}{

Yuna hesitated, taking a deep breath before speaking to Emi.

"You can join us," she finally said, "but I want the real reason first."

"I gave you the real reason," Emi replied, her eyes narrowing with irritation. "Leblanc is wasting my time being a mope. I want to find spheres. I need a team and a ship. Yours is my only option."

Yuna and Emi stared down for a moment, then Yuna nodded.

"Fine. Welcome to the Gullwings."

Nobody said anything else; the tension was thick enough as it was. And things just got worse when the girls reached the cavern of Vegnagun.

"Hey," Gippal said. Baralai was there, too, along with Nooj.

"You're late," Baralai greeted him.

"If you were on time, then I'd really start to worry," Nooj countered.

"So much for being missing," Yuna whispered.

"Sure you should be here?" Gippal asked his friends. "The Youth League and New Yevon are crumbling without you guys to hold 'em together."

"You expect too much," Nooj grunted.

"Learn from us!" Gippal put his hands on his hips. "So why are we here?"

"There's something I needed to be sure of," Baralai answered, looking around them. "Vegnagun...is gone."

"Listen to you: 'Vegnagun is gone.' Are you trying to tell us that since that thing left on its own, Yevon's not to blame?" Nooj said angrily.

"It's the truth," Baralai insisted. "The thing's more sensitive than its size would lead one to believe. It detects hostility, and in an instant, springs to life! Should one even think of harming it, it awakens like a frightened child."

"Hah. You did your homework."

"I've had two years."

"Wait, so you're saying that Vegnagun woke up because someone was trying to destroy it?" Gippal asked Baralai. "Who?"

"Who indeed. I'm a little confused." Baralai turned to Nooj once again. "You came to claim it for yourself, didn't you? But Vegnagun awoke. Why? Because deep down you hated it. Did you come here to use it or destroy it?" Silence. "Well?"

"Both. You probably think that's impossible. You've always been too naive to see. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Then, I hope you don't expect me to trust you, either. I believed in

you once- When we were training for the Crimson Squad. I thought I'd never find a better friend. But you betrayed that..." Baralai broke off angrily, then looked back to his former friend. "...two years ago."

Suddenly, startling Yuna, Baralai pulled out a gun and aimed it at Nooj.

"Dang, son! It's _just_ like the Wrong Number live!" Dylan hissed, laughing.

"Baralai!" Gippal shouted.

"Why did you shoot?" Baralai screamed, his voice cracking. "Why did you shoot Gippal and me? We were friends, and you shot us in the back!" When Nooj didn't respond, Baralai only grew angrier. "Answer me!"

"Just calm down! Nooj!" Gippal looked at Nooj, his eyes pleading for understanding. "Apologize already!" Nothing. "That's enough! Don't push me..."

Gippal whipped out his own gun, pointing it at Baralai.

"If this is what it takes."

Suddenly, Nooj dropped his cane, his entire body glowing.

"This has turned out perfectly, wouldn't you agree?" he said in an eerie voice. "Yes, I shot you." He pulled out his gun as well, now not surprising at all. "You were easy targets." Nooj looked at Gippal. "You...and Paine."

"You shot Paine, too?" Gippal gasped.

"Why?" Baralai hissed.

_I'm so lost_, Yuna thought, squinting as she heard Nooj laugh.

"Answer me!" Baralai shouted, getting more and more desperate.

"I made him do it. He was too weak to resist me."

Gippal's face softened in concern. "Nooj?"

"I don't expect you to present any more of a challenge." It was clear something was definitely not okay with Nooj. "Not now."

Whatever had entered Nooj's body before flew out and into Baralai's. Nooj took a knee, grunting in pain.

"See, I found that the mind that hates and despairs is the easiest to break," Baralai said, his voice sounding strange, like Nooj's had. "Two years ago, it was the same with you. Nooj." He looked down at the brunette, no mercy in his eyes. "Seeking your own death. Now you can have it."

Baralai released the safety catch on his gun, preparing to shoot.

"Wait!" Gippal cried.

"Stop!" Paine suddenly shouted, running forward from her hiding spot. Yuna grimaced, afraid of what was to come.

"Paine, get out of here!" Nooj shouted.

Randomly, a giant fiend dropped down.

"Out of my way!" Paine cried, slicing it to bits. But when the monster disappeared, so did the guys.

"Where'd they go?" Rikku asked, running forward to Paine's side. Yuna, Dylan, and Emi followed.

"I saw Baralai escape," Paine answered, sighing quietly. "Nooj and Gippal probably chased after him."

"So you knew all three of them," Yuna stated.

"Long ago," Paine admitted.

"Yeah but Nooj, he..."

Paine cut Rikku off. "Yes, he shot us. It was an accident. At least that's how I see it."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Rikku exclaimed.

"You never asked."

"I'm asking now." Paine paused, at a loss for the most obvious words. "You don't wanna tell us."

"Bingo." Rikku made a frustrated face at Paine. "You wanna know."

"Yeah, but..." Yuna said, looking at Paine with honest eyes. "Forcing you to tell isn't any better. We'll wait until you're ready."

Paine smirked broadly. "No pressure, huh?"

The songstress nodded.

"Come on, everyone. Let's go back to the ship."

As they walked away, Paine elbowed Dylan lightly in the side.

"Hn?" the brunette grunted, surprised.

"Thanks for keeping a secret," Paine murmured, smiling. Dylan couldn't help but smile back.


	20. Chapter 20: I'm going to live in love

Chapter 20: I'm going to live in love. (youtube - watch?v=Z9s52x93qSQ)

Memo: gsdahfgjfsdakhgujsa; FINALLY. Finally, finally, thank the higher power. I'm finally to this point. I've been waiting. muahahaha. I have to say, I feel Addy. I'm always stuck in that place too. I guess that's where I pull my inspiration from! ^^ Anyway, thanks for reading! XD

FLASHBACK START

"And that's how I got this scar," Addison finished, lifting his hair to show off a white line below his hairline. Yuna grinned.

"I can't believe you fell over yourself like that!" she giggled. "With a drum strapped to you, too..."

"Well, Dylan's had her share of mishaps." The blonde put his hands behind his head, stretching. "Once, when she was running back to the field, she fell on her trombone." Yuna gasped. "Completely flattened it."

"How did she fall?" Yuna asked, caught between shock and amusement.

Addison just grinned. "Just tripped over herself. I swear, for someone who can dance so well, she sure lacks coordination sometimes."

Yuna smiled warmly.

"You guys seem so close. It must be wonderful."

Addison smirked broadly. "Well, sometimes I admit I hate having to hear her complain, but I know she'd do the same for me. She's a good person."

"It's so sweet that you think so highly of her. I don't think I could be that way," Yuna admitted. Addison leaned forward, trying to hide his reddening face.

"Well, it's not hard when you have a great sister."

He smiled at Yuna, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"She must be grateful to have a great brother, then."

"Well, it happens."

FLASHBACK END

"ADDYYYY!"

I stomped all the way down to the cabin, fuming.

"ADDISON!" I shouted, looking around.

"SOMEbody's unhappy."

Looking up, I saw Addy peering down at me from the railing. Normally I would've had a comeback, but I was growing more and more pissed by the moment.

"Get down here," I growled.

"I'm not sure I want to," he joked. Shooting him a look, I tapped my foot impatiently. "Hmmm, what's worse?"

"Trust me, you'll wanna hear this," I said, plopping onto a barstool as Addy jumped over the railing, landing on his feet with a loud thud. "Guess who just joined our group."

"Who?"

"Emi."

Addison sucked in his breath quickly, wincing like he'd been punched in the gut.

"For real?" he asked. I nodded, confirming it. He shook his head. "Sorry."

I knew he really meant it; since he had joined us, I had filled him in on all the things that had happened in the time he was gone. He had known Emi and I were having problems when he left, but I don't think he expected us to hate one another. And to be honest, I didn't either.

"What did she say to you?" he said, standing in front of me?

"Nothing. Duh. What's there to say?"

"I just thought she might've apologized."

I kicked Addy's chest lightly. "Don't be stupid. You know her. She's more hard-headed than me."

Addy chuckled. "That's the surprising truth."

I kicked him again, harder this time. "Shut up. Be nice to your sister."

"So, let me guess." Addy grabbed my foot, smirking. "You want me to find out what she's up to?"

"Please?" I murmured.

"No."

"Not even for Yuna? She's suspicious, too."

He paused, considering this.

"...I guess so. That way it won't be so obvious." He let my foot drop, and I hopped off of the stool.

"I can't believe I had to bring Yuna into it for you to help me," I said with a pout. He just grinned.

"What can I say? I'd admit to being whipped before you would."

}{}{}{

"Those holes are connected," Yuna mouthed to herself for the fourth time that hour. Arms crossed across her chest, she looked out the big window in the front of the Celsius, reflecting on the most recent events. Suddenly everything was beginning to make sense.

"Almost there, Yunie!" Rikku said, bouncing over to her distressed cousin. "Come on, cheer up! At least we're starting to figure stuff out!"

"Hm, I guess you're right." Yuna smiled, unable to argue with such simple logic. She then noticed Emi standing off to the side, just watching. "Emi? Are you going to coming with us?"

"Is that an invitation or a loaded question?" she replied, her dark piercing Yuna's heterochromatic ones.

"The former."

"Sure, why not?"

Yuna didn't say anything else after that. What was she supposed to do? Say how great it was? She barely knew this girl, only from stories from the Samuels' and from the experiences in the past weeks.

"Yo~."

Yuna turned to see Dylan parading into the room, Addison following behind. Emi shot the blonde a look.

_What is he thinking_? Yuna wondered as she watched the silent exchange between them.

_Stop analyzing everything he does_, she then told herself, shaking her head a little.

"We've landed, Yuna," Buddy said.

A few moments, the five girls were standing in front of Djose Temple, which was swarming with Al Bhed guards.

"Frana ec Gippal frah fa haat res? (Where is Gippal when we need him?)" one of the guards said, his pointed at the temple entrance.

"He says Gippal's not back yet," Rikku translated for the group.

"Wonder if he's still with Nooj and Baralai," Yuna suggested.

"Probably," Paine grunted.

"Fa dneat vekrdehk dra veahtc uh uin ufh, pid fa uhmo syta drehkc funca (We tried fighting the fiends on our own, but we only made things worse.)," the guard continued. "Dra veahtc vuiht y fyo du sanka fedr uin machina (The fiends found a way to merge with our machina.)."

"Translation: Not good!" Rikku chirped.

"Then that's our cue," Yuna declared.

"It's biff time," Rikku and Dylan said, grinning at each other. Yuna could've sworn she heard a small chuckle from Emi.

"This should be easy enough," Paine stated as they entered the temple. "All we have to do is head straight to the place where the fayth used to be, right?"

"It's true," Dylan said, nodding once.

Within minutes, the girls had made it into the core of the temple, ready for what awaited them.

"An aeon?" Rikku said when they saw the demonized Ixion.

"Merged with Al Bhed machina," Paine added. "Isn't that what they said?"

"How can this be..." Yuna sighed.

}{}{}{

The fight didn't last long; a few strong water spells from Paine as a black mage did the poor thing in. Even though its kind, helpful spirit was totally gone, I still felt a little bit of guilt for doing it in. I wondered if Yuna felt even worse.

During the fight, I noticed Emi didn't use dresspheres like the rest of us. It was funny, admittedly. It was like being part of the club but not having the jacket, as the saying goes.

Anyway, after the battle was over, all that was left besides an energy-depleted Ixion was a giant hole in the ground, just like in all of the other temples.

"Another hole," Rikku murmured. "I wonder what's down there."

"Go find out," Paine suggested. Rikku jumped, running over to me.

"Uh-uh! No way!"

Paine just grinned sadistically as Rikku hid behind me, hugging my arm like a little kid. I could see Yuna and Emi out of the corners of my eye, on either side of me. Yuna was totally lost in thought, staring down into the seemingly empty pit.

Emi was on the other side of the room, also staring at the pit, but more subtly, and from a greater distance. Why the hell was she interested? She already knew what was going to happen, just like me. And was I staring at some black hole? No.

Suddenly a loud rumbling and crackling noise distracted me from my thoughts. I turned around to see Ixion getting ready to self-destruct.

"Get back!" Paine shouted, pulling me and Rikku away.

"Huh?" Rikku whimpered, falling on her butt.

"Yuna!" I cried, running to grab her arm.

"What?" she gasped.

The next thing I knew, my hand had snatched Yuna's arm, and together we were falling into darkness.

}{}{}{

Yuna awoke to the sound of rushing water and a constant cool breeze. She felt something cool beneath her...flowers.

Hesitating, Yuna slowly opened her eyes, pushing herself upright. She was somehow dressed in her songstress outfit, but she didn't remember how or why it happened. Carefully, she stood up, looking around. There were flowers everywhere, and large, cascading waterfalls. This was...the farplane.

So THAT was where the giant holes led to.

Suddenly, Yuna's outfit glowed strangely, pyreflies coming out of it. They danced around her body, then dispersed into the air.

"What's happening?" she wondered out loud, tense.

Yuna then noticed an approaching figure coming toward her through the fog. She froze in place, taken aback.

"I finally found you," he said, the outline of his figure appearing more clearly.

"Is that really you?" she murmured, her voice small and meek. Her heart began to race. Finally, after all this time...?

But then the man came into clear view, and Yuna's spirits fell.

"It is me, Shuyin," he replied, his eyes bright. "I've waited so long, Lenne."

Yuna quickly turned around, unable to face him. "But I'm not Lenne," she told him.

"Lenne. We disappeared together, but when I awoke, I was alone," Shuyin continued, slowly approaching Yuna. She didn't dare turn around. "I looked for you for so long. While I wandered, I realized something: Spira hasn't really changed at all. Everyone's still fighting over nothing. Still dying like they used to. A thousand years have passed, and they can't leave the hatred behind."

Yuna exhaled quietly as Shuyin paused. Was this the connection to their current problems?

"I'm through waiting. I'll fix it. This world continues to fail us, and what's worse, I failed to protect you." Shuyin clenched his fist tightly. "Vegnagun will make that all go away. And we'll fade together again, together. Help me do it, Lenne."

_Don't touch me_, Yuna thought as Shuyin placed his hands gently on her shoulders. But Shuyin flipped Yuna around to face him, and she gasped as he pulled her close. Her heart was racing again.

_Whose feelings are these_? she wondered as more pyreflies erupted from her body. _Lenne's? Mine_?

"Open your eyes!"

Startled, Yuna stumbled backward from Shuyin, who had now taken the form of Baralai. She noticed her clothes were back to normal, and the fog had cleared.

"The end is not far now," Baralai told Yuna, stepping toward a portal.

"Give this to Paine." Yuna turned quickly to see Nooj and Gippal. The former had a sphere in his hand and was holding it out to Yuna. "It was all I was able to find."

"Give her this one, too," Gippal added, handing Yuna another sphere.

"Huh?" she murmured.

"Our wills," Nooj said dryly. Yuna went pale.

"He's kidding," Gippal quickly assured her. "Just make sure Paine gets 'em, all right?"

"How do you know her?" Yuna asked.

"The four of us go way back," the blonde replied with a small smirk.

"Don't go!" she cried as the three began to leave.

"It's under control!" Gippal exclaimed.

"Take care of things topside," Nooj instructed her, and then the three left.

}{}{}{

_What kind of sick karma is this_? I wondered as I ran through the farplane, no destination in mind. _How do I get out of here_?

I had to find Yuna. I had to make sure she was okay, unless I just WANTED my brother to kill me.

"Yuna!" I shouted for the millionth time, running through the dark void. "Yuna, can you hear me?"

It was proving to be totally useless. The space around me was literally endless. How was I supposed to find Yuna like this?

Suddenly, startling me so badly that I jumped, a whistle pierced the silence. My heart started beating harder. Duh. Duh. Why didn't I think of this before? I was either in or near the Farplane. Why didn't I consider all of my options?

Inhaling deeply, I whistled as loud as I could. Again, a whistle, this time in reply.

Swearing quietly under my breath, I ran toward the sound of the whistle, replying back to it. The further I ran, the clearer the air became, like the darkness itself was clearing. I could see light in the distance.

I whistled loudly again, and it replied back again. Even if I didn't find Yuna, I was about to find Tidus.

Again, I whistled, running in time to the rapid beating of my heart. I was getting closer...I could feel it. The whistling was getting louder. I whistled one more time, breathless.

Then, suddenly, I heard a voice.

"Where are you?"

My heart sank into my stomach. It was Yuna. So where was Tidus? He was supposed to whistle again for her. That's how Yuna was supposed to get out of the Farplane.

I waited a few short moments, but nothing came. Frowning, I breathed in deeply and whistled again.

"Wait!" Yuna cried.

_She thinks I'm him_... I realized, biting my bottom lip.

"Might as well keep up the act," a familiar voice said. Whipping myself around, I saw a glowing figure standing there. He smirked. "One more time, just for good measure?"

Smiling, I nodded, putting my fingers to my lips. Whistling loudly, I closed my eyes.

Next thing I knew, Yuna and I were standing in the depths of Bevelle, then boarding the airship.

"Fryd y nameav! (What a relief!)" Brother shouted, rushing to Yuna. "E druikrd fa ryt mucd oui (I thought we had lost you.)."

"He's been blubbering about how he couldn't go on living if something were to happen to you," Buddy added.

Rikku hugged my arm tightly, making me feel more included. "We hadn't heard anything in so long!" she exclaimed. "We tried tossing a CommSphere into the hole, but it didn't help one bit."

Brother whimpered and shot Shinra a look.

"Hey, it's still in beta," the kid said, shrugging.

"So, what happened?" Paine asked.

}{}{}{

Even after telling her friends about her experiences in the Farplane, Yuna still didn't feel at ease. One more thing she had to do was give Paine her spheres.

"Yuna?"

"Hm?" The brunette turned to see Addison standing there.

"Are you really okay?" he asked, his arms folded across his chest.

"...What do you mean?"

"Look...I..." The blonde sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know what happened to you... And, like Dylan, I know what's going to happen. So...if you need to ask me or tell me anything...you can. Okay?"

Yuna couldn't help but smile. His honesty was just what she needed.

"Okay. Thank you."

Addison just smiled, leaning his head against the wall. Yuna continued on to the deck of the ship, where Paine was waiting for her.

Yuna called her name, then held out the spheres as the silver-haired warrior turned around.

"They gave me these," Yuna said quietly.

"They say anything?" Paine asked as she took the spheres from Yuna.

"No."

"I see."

Yuna hesitated, about to walk away, when suddenly Paine spoke again.

"They're old friends," she began to explain. "The three of them were candidates for the Crimson Squad. And I was the recorder assigned to their team. Yevon created the Squad and started training members two years ago. It was supposed to be an elite fighting force. The best were to be assigned leadership of Crusader chapters across Spira..."

Yuna sensed there was more to the story. "But?" she murmured.

"The Squad was destroyed before that happened," Paine said, sighing. "Most of the candidates died. An accident. The four of us were separated then. Things happened. I don't get it." She sighed again, shaking her head. "I was there. I saw everything. But still. I don't know why it happened that way. Even now. So I went to look...for some answers."

Now everything was starting to make sense.

"You became a sphere hunter," Yuna finished.

Paine smirked in reply, holding her arms out to the side. "I always did want to fly on this thing anyway," she admitted.

"Whatcha talking about?"

Rikku walked over to them, smiling cheerfully. But when she saw Paine with the spheres, her face fell quickly.

"Or is it another one of those secrets?" she said. Sighing, she about-faced, beginning to walk away. "That's all right. I didn't wanna know anyway."

"Too bad." Rikku turned around to see Paine pointing at her. "And I was just about to tell you."

"Really?" the blonde squeaked.

"Too late now," Paine said.

Rikku's face scrunched up. "Oui pimmo! (You bully!)"

The three burst into laughter, even Paine.

"We used to laugh like this once," Paine murmured after their giggles had subsided. "The four of us. I've been chasing my past for so long... Sometimes getting it back is all I can think about. Other times, I just want to forget." Paine turned to Yuna. "What about you? Shuyin isn't who you thought, is he?"

"No," Yuna replied, frowning a bit.

Paine just smiled kindly. "Maybe we should both let go of our past and focus more on what's to come," she told the former Summoner.

"You're not leaving the Gullwings?" Rikku gasped, turning wide eyes to Paine.

"Always a possibility," Paine told her, walking away. Rikku trotted after her, leaving Yuna by herself.

_So many things seem intertwined_, she thought. _But nothing leads to you. Why be a sphere hunter if what I'm hunting for can never be found_?

"Yuna?"

Yuna turned to see Dylan walking toward her.

"Dylan... I have a question," she said quietly. The curly-headed girl smiled.

"Sure. I'll do my best. What's up?"

"...How much will it change things if I give up looking for him?"

Dylan's breath caught in her throat. "Excuse me?"

Yuna turned to face Dylan head-on, her eyes swimming with tears. "I want to know... If I keep fighting for Spira, but give up looking for him, how much will that change things?"

"Yuna...are you sure? Are you really sure that's what you want to do?" Dylan asked, her head pounding.

"...Yes. Yes, I do. I can't take it anymore. I'm just tired of being disappointed all the time. I'm tired of being lonely." Yuna faced the sky. "I have to face the future, not the past. There are other opportunities for me, but if I'm blind to them, I'll never know..."

"Yuna."

"Yes?"

"...Your story has already changed. I changed it a long time ago. ...I don't think it can change any more at this point."

For a moment, Yuna didn't understand, but then suddenly, like a wave, everything hit her at once.

"..."

"Yuna...now only your decisions can change things."


	21. Chapter 21: But

Chapter 21: But (youtube - watch?v=uGUI5Iqnuzw)

Memo: YoU kNoW yOu LoVe YoUrSeLf, BuT! XD I freaking love that song. 3 Anyway, welcome to Chapter 4 in the game, and also the last third of the story. Crazy, huh? This portion will go by rather quickly-I'm not putting in all of those stupid Commspheres... XD So, thank you for reading, and enjoy! ^^

FLASHBACK START

Sighing, Yuna turned her back from the Gullwings, a frown crossing her face. She should've known it was coming: Lenne, Shuyin, and the events one thousand years ago were connected with the problems today. Her disappointment had mounted, and everything had nearly come full-circle.

"Yunie, Yunie!"

Yuna stopped in the hallway just outside the elevator. Rikku bounded over to her, grabbing her arms gently, as she habitually did.

"Yeah?" Yuna breathed, turning her head to stare into her younger cousin's green eyes.

"You met Shuyin, right?" she asked. When Yuna nodded, she continued. "Was he anything like you-know-who?"

"Not really," Yuna replied. "Just his face."

Rikku released Yuna, sighing quietly.

_I'm so tired of being disappointed_, Yuna realized, sighing through her nose as well. _How much longer do I have to keep going like this_?

FLASHBACK END

"Addy..."

Addy must've sensed my distress, because he hopped right up and walked over to me.

"Sister face...?"

"Addy...I did it. I ruined everything."

For once, I really wasn't exaggerating. I had seriously ruined everything. But what made it worse was that Yuna knew. Yuna knew what had happened. And while she didn't know the specific details, she would likely ask soon, and who was I to keep them from her at this point?

"Dylan, what the hell are you talking about?" Addy asked, putting his hands on my shoulders. I felt my throat closing up.

"Yuna knows." He still looked mildly confused. "Addy, I told her! I told her I changed things!"

I could tell it took a moment for that information to process.

"...What? Why? Why the hell would you do something that stupid?"

"I don't know!" I exclaimed, wiping my eyes as he removed his hands. "I don't know why! But could you just pretend to be understanding and give me a sympathy hug?"

Addy chuckled quietly, but he obliged and pulled me into his arms.

"Oh, Dylan, what would you do without me?" he asked, only half-joking.

"I don't know," I replied honestly. "But I really am grateful for you. Sorry that I don't say it much."

"It's okay," he assured me, "not everything that's important can be easily said."

"Damn, is that the truth."

Addy pushed me back, putting a hand on top of my head.

"Sister face, as much as I have fallen for your singer friend, I promise I have your back," he then said, smiling genuinely. "This'll all work out better in the end, I think."

I made a low humming noise in my throat, doubtful. The possibility of Yuna tearing me to bits? Yeah, still there.

"So what should I do?" I asked my brother. His hand went from the top of my head to my cheek, and he pinched it like an auntie.

"Just do whatever you think is best, stupid," he said as I groaned, pushing his hand away. "After all, Yuna can't hate on you TOO much. You have helped her a lot."

"For my own personal benefit."

"Every single time?"

I thought about it. "...I don't know."

"Thought so. You're never going to know until you guys sort this out."

}{}{}{

Dylan took a deep breath before going out onto the deck of the Celsius, where Yuna had to be. This was very black and white: either it would end well, or it wouldn't.

Squinting through the light, Yuna looked up through the clouds passing by them. Something about being up in the sky felt very free. It allowed her to release her thoughts and let them fly. And right now, her brain was on overload.

"Yuna?"

_Speak of the devil_... Yuna thought, turning her head slightly to see Dylan standing there. She looked like she had been crying.

"..." Yuna didn't know what to say...there were too many words and they were beginning to mix together dangerously.

"...I... I know you deserve to be mad at me, but can I at least tell you how this all happened?" Dylan asked, her usually loud voice only at a murmur.

Yuna didn't know what to say. On the one hand, she wanted to forget everything and pretend she and Dylan had never met, let alone been friends. But on the other hand, she loved Dylan like a sister, and she wanted to forgive her.

"Please, Yuna. You can do whatever you want to me after, but at least let me honest with you?" she pleaded, kneeling next to the former summoner.

"..." Yuna finally gave in, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Tell me how this all happened."

Silently, Dylan shifted her feet so they were straight out in front of her, her bum on the deck.

"...I'll give you what honesty I have to give: I've always loved Tidus," she said quietly. "Ever since I've known your stories, I really have had a spot for him in my heart. But... when I actually came here-"

"Wait," Yuna interrupted. "I know you said last time...you weren't the only person who knew our stories. But how?"

Dylan chuckled. "It's kind of hard to explain, but where I'm from, this place is a fantasy world. It's not supposed to exist. It's supposed to be the figment of someone's imagination, put into media and exposed to the masses. That's as best as I can explain it without getting too technical."

Yuna nodded, satisfied with at least that.

"Anyway..." Dylan sighed, tilting her face to the sun. "When I came here for real, and realized everything was real, I got really scared. I was torn. On the one hand, I didn't want to change things, because I knew you weren't going to die, and I knew so many people would be devastated if you did, and the Calm would basically never come. But... but I didn't want to see Tidus die, either.

"But as much as I wanted to be with him, I knew that he had met you first, and no matter what I thought of him, he'd love you. So I figured my reason for being in Spira was to further protect you. And that's what I did.

"But see," Dylan lowered her eyes, frowning, "when I came back home, I knew things would never be the same. And then as my own life started falling apart, Emi told me there was more to the story, and that there was a chance Tidus would come back-if I played the game right, so to speak."

Yuna could see where this was going. Suddenly everything was starting to make more sense.

"Yuna...I know he loved us both. But...in case you didn't know, I'm really competitive. I want him to love me. I want to be with him again, more than anything, especially now that I've experienced it. So when I came back here, that's what I was aiming for. Yes, I still want to be friends with you all and protect you all and work together, but I..."

Her voice finally trailed off, but Yuna picked it up.

"You want to bring him back because you love him, and you're using me to do it," she finished, understanding it now.

"Because you're the only one that can." Dylan closed her eyes, her frown deepening. "At least, I _thought _you were the only one."

"What makes you say that?"

"The night we spent in Guadosalam, I went to the Farplane."

Yuna hummed low. So _that_ waswhy she'd been so tired that next day. But wasn't that dangerous? Yuna had to hand it to her-Dylan was determined as hell.

"And I saw Tidus, and I told him what had happened so far, and he said that it wasn't even necessary for me to help you or tell you what to do-it's _my_ actions that count now."

Dylan sighed heavily. "So now I feel like I've been a total bitch to you. You've been nothing but nice and trusting toward me, and I..."

"But you actually had a legitimate reason to be that way," Yuna admitted, not looking at Dylan. "And besides, does it even matter anymore anyway? I don't...I _can't _love him anymore. I'm so tired of hanging onto those memories. And even if he came back..."

Yuna ran a hand through her short brown hair, sighing through her nose.

"Even if he came back, I couldn't love him like before," she confessed. "I still have those vivid memories attached to him. And it hurts. And yes, it hurts to let him go, too, but hanging on hurts a lot more."

Yuna smiled, completely unforced.

"And I don't feel bad now, now that you've said what you did. I don't feel bad for leaving him behind because you love him, and I think he loves you, too."

}{}{}{

As Yuna spoke, I was continuously pinching my arms and legs, just to make sure this wasn't a dream. Where was the bitch-slap? The harsh words? Y'know, possibly being pushed off of the deck of the ship?

But it never came.

"I am a little upset you lied, but Addison said that you only lied to protect what's really important to you."

Yuna smiled, and I felt like my heart was going to explode for so many reasons. I was free-no more secrets. My brother really was looking out for me. Yuna wasn't too angry, if angry at all. And...

"I love my brother," I said with a giant grin. "And it's okay, you're allowed to say 'me too.' I totally approve."

I watched with much amusement as Yuna's face turned bright pink.

"Don't act like it's not true," I continued. "My brother adores you, and I'm betting you feel the same?" No response, but I could tell it was written well enough on her face that I didn't need words. "That's why it's easier to let Tidus go. Because you have him now."

Yuna was quiet for a moment, then she giggled.

"I guess you're right," she admitted.

I grinned broadly. "Of course I am." I hopped to my feet. "Yuna, I'm sorry, and I promise, we'll continue this journey how YOU want." I held my hand out to her, and to my delight, she took it.

"Well, you HAVE been doing a good job of guiding us so far, so you can keep it up," she replied, smiling brightly. "Besides, it's less work for me that way!"

Laughing, Yuna ran off, leaving me standing there completely dumbfounded. I guess she and Rikku _were _related.

Before I headed back inside, I blew a kiss to the sky, grinning.

"This will be fine after all," I said, reaching out to the clouds. I felt warmth at my fingertips and sighed deeply.

Back inside, I found Rikku pacing around.

"THERE you are!" she exclaimed, hugging me when I came in. "I've been so BORED. What were you guys talking about?"

"Rikku, Yuna knows everything now," I said quietly.

"What? What?" She looked up at me, her green eyes nearly popping out of her skull. "About you and him! What did she say?"

I gave the blonde a thumbs-up. "It's all good."

Rikku's worried expression disappeared in a split-second to be replaced by a toothy grin.

"Good!" She then grabbed my arm. "C'mon to the bridge, we're watching CommSpheres!"

}{}{}{

Emi watched in silence as Rikku pulled Dylan down the stairs and over to Shinra's computer. Quietly, she got up from her spot on the floor and walked up the stairs. As she passed through the hallway, she saw Addison walk by her.

Their eyes met for a moment, and at first Emi thought he might say something. But he then turned his attention away. Of course. Well, what was there to say?

Being on a ship with people who all hated you before they really knew you was beginning to bother her quite a bit. Who were they to judge from stories? Did they even know why she was really there?

_No, of course not_, Emi realized as she wandered aimlessly through the engine room. _Because _I _don't even know why I'm really here_.

It was true. She had come looking for a way into Spira with one purpose in mind. But then when she finally got in, she changed her mind. But then after meeting the Syndicate, she had another change of heart and mind.

So what was next? What was her role to play in all of this?

Sitting down on the floor, Emi pressed her forehead to her knees. She wished Trisha was there, or at least alive. Trisha had always been the middle man, the one who fixed everything with a cool head.

Emilia and Dylan were the hot heads, the competitive ones. And they'd always been on the same side until now.

But everything was different, and it couldn't ever go back to the ways things were.

To Emi's surprise, Dylan seemed to be handling the changes pretty well. She suspected it might have something to do with Addison being with her, as a kind of safety net for her. But even still, Dylan was a very strong-willed person. And determined as hell.

But that was also her fault. Once she had made up her mind, the tunnel vision set in, and it was hard for her to see past it. Emi only knew because she was the same way.

At this point, though, Emi's thoughts were so mixed up that she didn't know where to turn anymore. She didn't have anyone to talk to or vent to, and so she felt very contained.

_I just have myself_, she thought, sighing. _Maybe that's all I'll ever have from now on, so I might as well get used to it. Maybe it won't be so bad_.

}{}{}{

Finally, after watching CommSphere broadcasts for a couple of hours, we got some news from Buddy.

"Next stop: the Moonflow!" he announced. "Sorry, kids, no time for side trips. You ready for a little Tobli hunt?"

"You bet!" Yuna exclaimed.

You see, after everyone had congregated in the bridge, we started discussing what we could really do to stop Vegnagun and Shuyin. With help from us, Yuna was convinced to hold a concert. But in order to promote it, we needed Tobli's help.

Apparently he was on the run from debt collectors, so we were about to embark on a wild goose chase.

The first clue it was going to be a pain in the ass was when Buddy derped and dropped us off in the wrong place.

"Yikes, sorry!" he said. "Must've dropped you off at the wrong place. As long as you're there, why not take a little stroll?"

"Easy for him to say," Paine grunted.

We walked for a while, until finally we ran into a couple of rough-looking men.

"Hey, you!" he shouted at us. "You haven't seen Tobli anywhere around here, have you?"

"We have word that he's somewhere nearby," the other said.

I opened my mouth to tell them off for being rude, but Tobli suddenly appeared right on cue.

"Huh?" the first guy caught a glimpse of the little guy, gasping. "Aha! There you are!"

But Tobli took off, prompting the chase.

"Where'd he go?" the first guy asked after running for a while. Tobli poked his head out from behind a tree, and the guy jumped. "Ah! That obnoxious midget! Found him!"

"Height discrimination!" Rikku shouted, leading us as we followed them once again.

"Where'd that little ball of pudge learn to run like that?" the first guy said after a while, stopping to catch his breath. "I'm beat."

"We can't keep up..." the other man added.

Right on cue, Tobli popped up again. I almost wish he just would've let himself be caught, so we could kick the crap out of the guys and run out. It would've taken less time.

"Come back here, you beak-faced fraud!"

But of course, that didn't happen. We followed the guys all the way to the outskirts of the south bank of the Moonflow.

"Has Tobli passed this way, sir?" the first guy asked a by-stander.

"Eh, nope, can't say I've seen him," the other man replied. "He must still be on the south bank."

"Go take anudder good look," the man next to him said. I figure they must've been connected to the debt collecters.

"Yes, sir."

After a lot more running around back and forth, we finally reached the shoopuf wharf and rode one of them all the way to the other side. Tobli escaped his captors, and we finally caught up with him in the usual spot along the north bank. Finally, we could wrap things up.


	22. Chapter 22:  For Good

Chapter 22: For Good (youtube - watch?v=Jx3rjS_vSM4)

Memo: I'll start by apologizing: sorry about how long this chapter is going to be. lol I blame the flashback. XD

FLASHBACK START

_My heart is already pounding_, Dylan thought as the lights went down for them to perform. _Bring it_.

"Turn it, turn it, turn it up," the voices on the background cd sang, and the lights turned on, revealing Trisha, Dylan, and Emi up on stage. Trisha and Emi harmonized to hit a great note, while Dylan continued.

"Turn it-turn it-turn it-turn it-turn it up!" she sang, surprised at how well she could actually sing. Trisha hit a great note, and then Emi with another scat.

Right on beat, the trio stepped forward out of their spotlights and toward the audience. D.D.D. just had a great walking beat to it. But they soon would show it had a great dance, too.

"Hey minna! How are ya doin'?" Trisha sang, stepping into the middle. "Heavy na show time wo listen up baby this time wa tokubetsu."

Dylan and Emi harmonized behind her, doing their part of the dance.

"Tabun to ka ka mo shirenai nante kibun janakute three minds are right!" Dylan stepped up to Trisha as the blonde rapped a bit. "Count shi dashitara tomaranai three mix, atsukute cool na crazy shit, dare mo mita koto no nai show time."

"Many times I told you but I say it again, I told you I'm gonna do the best I can," Dylan rapped back as Trisha backed off. "I know what I got to do to make my dream come true."

Emi stepped forward to join Dylan as they sang together.

"We don't need no tools to make you feel higher," they sang.

"Feel higher," Trisha added in the background.

"Subete kono naked body kara fly out."

"Fly out~."

"We don't need no spolight cuz we got the fire."

"Got the fire."

"When the show begins I be the girl you've never met."

Trisha stepped to center once again, and the girls exploded in dance.

"Mou dare ni mo tomerarenai my time. Omou ga mama ni I just wanna dance. Dare ni mo jama wa sasenai..."

Emi and Dylan once again stepped back to either side of Trisha. They could feel the adrenaline kicking in.

"I just do what I wanna do, I do what I wanna do," the duo sang as Trisha came in with the next verse.

"Rise from diamond chigau hikari no fusion crazy ni yarasete."

"We'll work it!" the duo sang, grinning.

"Size wa triple x no feeling! Hand sign wa kore-we come triple super high na."

"Three mics!"

Dylan stepped forward, holding her hands out to the audience, drawing them in with an awe-worthy stage presence.

"Keep keep dope dope dope," she sang as the others behind her echoed with "yippy yippy yi yai!"

"Deep deep more more more!"

"Yippy yippy yi yo! Yippy yippy yi yai yippy yi yo, yippy yippy yi yai yippy yi yo!"

"Go, Kumi, go go go!"

"Yippy yippy yi yai!"

"Go, Soulhead, go go go!"

"Yippy yippy yi yo! Yippy yippy yi yai yippy yi yo, yippy yippy yi yai yippy yi yo!"

Emi and Dylan sang the pre-chorus once again, and then the three girls rocked out the chorus. The best part, though, was yet to come.

"Kono michi wo aruite kita no wa," Trisha sang, Emi scatting in the background as the two stood back to back. "Kitto kimi ni deau tame dattanda ne!"

Suddenly Dylan pushed between the two, stepping up proudly. Here, and in this part of the song, she knew she could be confident.

"One plus two be scandalous," she rapped motioning to Emi on her left. "Three come together be endless. Nobody can stopping this or step in this cuz we are girl with the guarantee."

As she rapped, her body moved to the beat as if she didn't have control of it anymore-moreso, the music did.

"Mochiron A or B nara A no hou yokubari na girl nara touzen no koto. Hoshii mono wa dare ga nan to iou to hoshii no! Yes we want 'em all! Three-sixty-do mozaiku nashi hadaka de one-eighty kaeru brain of society! Bokashi nashi shikomi nashi face to face, misete yaru real game to the bunch of gamer. Only we got the key to the next stage, ichido kiitara sure you gonna miss me. Nidome kara wa you'll be addicted-I be hear everybody say gimme some mo'!"

Launching her body into the air, Dylan pulled off an impressive and perfectly-timed jump, landing right on the chorus. She could feel a ton of energy flowing through her body, and she knew her friends must be feeling the same vibes. She hoped she'd never lose the memory of this.

"Show ga hajimattara dare ni mo tomerarenai no I can't stop it."

The last line in unison, the girls sank into their traditional fighting end pose, and the lights dimmed. The crowd blocked the noise of their contained sobs of joy.

FLASHBACK END

Sighing, Yuna walked into the cabin, hoping for maybe a little peace and quiet. But the opposite was there-her cousin.

"Rehearshal shtarting," Barkeep said to Yuna.

"Hey, Yunie, hurry up and change!" Rikku cried, trotting over. The blonde was already in her songstress outfit. Yuna sighed again, this time more pathetically. "Oh come on! You know what they say! Practice makes perfect!"

Rikku grinned, running over to a corner of the cabin, shaking her hips back and forth. Unable to resist the pleading eyes, Yuna changed into her songstress outfit, half-smiling.

"One song," she insisted, standing in front of her younger cousin. "I don't want to use all of my energy."

"Understood!" Rikku said with a salute, giggling.

The girls began to dance to an imaginary beat in their heads, shaking their hips and moving their arms.

"Where is Dylan?" Rikku asked, grinning. "She should be helping us!" Yuna just laughed, nodding in agreement. "So... Everything is okay with you guys now, right?"

"Yes," Yuna answered confidently, smiling.

"Good. You two are basically my sisters, so no fighting allowed! You hear?" Rikku wagged her finger in Yuna's face.

"I hear you," the brunette replied, grinning. Glancing at the sky, Yuna could see it darkening as night approached. "It's almost time. Do you think people will show up?"

"You betcha!" Rikku assured her. "The Thunder Plains'll be packed! But what're you gonna sing?"

"Umm..." Yuna paused for a moment, then she felt a melody overwhelm her. She began to hum it quietly.

"Wow, did you write that?" Rikku asked, obviously impressed.

"It's more like I felt it," Yuna answered. "I can hear it echoing inside me."

"Lenne?"

"I think so. I don't know much about her, but I'm learning more and more. Bits and pieces of her memories keep pouring in. It's like..." Yuna paused, trying to find the words. "It's like I can feel what she was feeling!"

"Thus shall Lenne's scattered thoughts be woven into bittersweet

song... Something like that?"

"Hey, that was poetic."

Rikku just giggled. Suddenly Paine stuck her head into the room.

"We'll be arriving soon," she told the girls. "After Buddy drops us off, he and the others will go pick up the spectators."

"So we won't be able to board for a while," Yuna concluded.

"You got it," Paine said, walking away.

As the silver-haired girl walked down to the engine room, she saw Emi standing there by herself.

"Hey, we're almost to the Thunder Plains," Paine said. Emi whipped around, startled. "I assume you're coming with us?"

"I guess so," she said, turning back around.

"...You used to be Dylan's best friend?" Emi didn't reply, but Paine didn't really need an answer. "I've heard things from Dylan, but I'd like to know your end of all of this."

}{}{}{

"We're over the Thunder Plains," Buddy told Yuna when she reached the bridge. "You ready to land?"

"Let's land," she said, looking at me and Rikku. We nodded enthusiastically.

As we began to depart the ship, I noticed Paine and Emi walk out to the bridge together. I couldn't help but be a little suspicious. What was going on?

Soon the five of us were on the Thunder Plains. One of Tobli's Hypello assistants was there waiting for us.

"Hello, Gullwings," he said, waving his blue arms above his head. "Good to shee yoo. Are yoo ready to shing your shong?"

"Yeah, more or less," Yuna replied, shrugging a bit. "You ready?"

"We've got a shticky shituation," the assistant replied. "Shum fiends have shown up to shnack on the shpectatators."

He turned and gestured to a large, dragon-like fiend. We watched in silence as it crawled into a nearby cave.

"Pre-concert hurtfest time," Paine declared. Yuna nodded, leading the way. Rikku stuck by me.

"You look worried," she said quietly. I raised my eyebrows.

"Hn? I do?" I murmured.

"It's just a fiend," Rikku giggled.

"Oh, no, that doesn't bother me at all," I said, grinning.

"Then what's up?"

A frown washed away my smile. "Emi and Paine... Do you know what they were talking about earlier?"

"They were talking earlier?"

I couldn't help but chuckle. Rikku, oblivious as always.

"I saw them walk out to the bridge together," I continued. "I trust Paine, don't get me wrong. But Emi is a manipulator." I kicked a rock, sighing. "I don't know Paine well enough to know if she'd buy that crap or not."

"I don't think she would without good reason to," Rikku replied. "I mean, if Paine is looking for an excuse to dislike you or something, then yeah, you're probably screwed. But I don't think she is."

I smirked. "I guess we'll see, won't we?"

}{}{}{

"It can't have gone too far," Rikku said as she hopped over a little rock, hyper as usual. "It's like, fifty billion times bigger than us!"

"Rikku, your proportions are way off," Paine said with a laugh. Rikku just grinned.

"Hey, I calls 'em as I sees 'em!" she exclaimed, trotting behind Yuna and Dylan, who were leading the way, as usual. Emi tagged along at the end of the group, looking around for anything worth noticing.

"The walls are singed," she commented quietly, running her dark hands against the charred rock.

"Must be pretty powerful, then," Paine said, restlessly drumming her fingers on the hilt of her sword.

"Aw, c'mon, we can take it!" Rikku cheered, turning around and walking backwards while sticking close to Dylan and Yuna. "There are five of us and only one of it!"

"But isn't it fifty billion times bigger than us?" Dylan asked, smirking as she looked over her shoulder at the blonde, who pouted.

"Well, maybe I was _exaggerating_, okay?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Yuna said, grinning at Dylan.

"Yunie, not you too?"

Suddenly a loud roar filled the area.

"It's up there," Paine said, pointing to a cliff. "We can climb the rocks to get up there.

"Done," Dylan replied, running over. The other four followed her, and they quickly crawled up the side of the cliff.

Paine had been right-the giant fiend was waiting meters away, flames falling from its open mouth.

"You guys ready?" Rikku asked, changing into a gun mage.

"When are we not?" Paine responded, running forward with sword in hand.

Rikku had been right to an extent-the fiend was definitely a lot larger than them. As Paine's blade smashed into its leg, it used its nose to simply knock her back.

"Backup!" she called out. Dylan huffed a sigh, running over with Yuna at her side.

"Can't you do anything without us?" she joked, helping Paine up. "C'mon, let's get this over with so we can have some fun!"

}{}{}{

I didn't really care too much about what Emi was up to, as long as she wasn't just being dead weight and was actually helping. The fiend was bigger than I expected, and a lot stronger too.

"Damn," I muttered as the dragon blocked Yuna's magic and knocked her back. "This is getting ridiculous."

"Watch your back!"

I dropped to the ground in response, narrowly missing the dragon's giant tail as it went flying over me and into the rocky wall.

_That could've been me_, I realized as the wall began to crack and split. I turned to thank whoever was watching out for me, but I wasn't expecting what I saw next.

Emi was standing there, a sword in hand. She glanced at me, then nodded curtly, going in for a strike.

_She's not strong enough to take that thing head-on_, I thought, watching her struggle. _What is she thinking_?

Switching into my warrior dressphere, I stuck my sword into the dragon's side. It roared angrily, affected by the jab to its soft spot. As it flailed, I pulled my sword out and ran under it to get to the other side.

It must've anticipated my move, because it swung its giant tail and knocked me to the ground. My butt skidded across the rock, and soon my back hit the wall. I coughed, clutching my stomach as I caught my breath. I didn't know how much more fighting this thing needed to go down, but it wasn't time to give up just yet.

Suddenly I felt my body feel renewed.

"What...?"

"Get up."

A gloved hand stuck itself in my face, and I looked up to Emi standing there.

"Are you deaf now?" she said sharply. "Get up!"

Hesitating, I lifted my hand, and she grabbed it, hoisting me up.

"Just what are you up to, Em?" I shouted as she ran off to fight. She didn't respond, but she turned to face me as she jogged backward. Her eyes met mine, dark and serious.

Out of nowhere, the dragon's tail came around and knocked Emi back roughly. Instinctively, I ran toward her and found her gripping the side of the tall cliff, grimacing.

I didn't think about whether it was right for me to help her or not. The instinct I'd had since childhood kicked in and made me grab her hand.

"What are you doing?" she shouted up at me, a cut across her face.

"Saving your ass!" I shouted back, pulling her up. Slowly but surely, she crawled back up on the ledge with me, panting. "Now we're even."

"Wait," she said as I started to run off. "I want to tell you something."

"What?" I said, turning around. "Make it quick, before somebody dies."

"...I'm sorry." My brain immediately exploded. "I'm sorry I was a bitch to you before. I had no idea what I wanted or what I was supposed to do when I got here. But... I realize now." She paused. I didn't dare interrupt her. "What I'm supposed to do, I mean."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"I was supposed to help you."

What the hell am I supposed to say to that?

"I was supposed to help you bring Tidus back. That's my real purpose here." She tossed her hair out of her face. "I'm sorry I didn't realize that earlier."

I didn't know what to say. I was struck.

"Will you forgive me for being an ass?"

I couldn't help but smile.

"Em, you've always been an ass," I pointed out with a grin. She grinned back. "So I guess I'm used to it."

I opened my mouth to say something else, but suddenly the fiend's tail came down in between us, smashing into the rock. Everything that happened next kind of blurred. I heard someone scream, and I could feel the rocks beneath my feet crumbling. I remember running back away from the edge, which broke away. But then things got really quiet.

"Em?" I shouted when the dust cleared. "EM!"

My heart almost split in half when I realized what had happened.

"Fuck," I whispered, running to the edge of the cliff. There were rocks down below, and somebody was lying on their stomach, face down in the rubble. "Fuck!"

Jumping down onto the closest rock, I worked my way down to Emi's body, which was half buried in the mess.

"Em, Em!" I cried, turning her over. Her nose had been busted in and was bleeding all over her face. I could see other wounds, but I tended to her face first. "Stay with me, Em. Wake up. Show me some sign you're still with me."

Emi didn't move. I could feel my pulse in my throat.

}{}{}{

The fight was over, but it seemed like things were just getting started.

Yuna could hear someone screaming below them. She did a quick head count. Paine was there, dusting herself off. Rikku was also there, looking for treasure from the leftovers of the battle. Dylan and Emi were gone.

She didn't want to think about what she might see.

Peering over the edge of the cliff, Yuna saw Dylan shaking Emi's shoulders roughly. Even from far up, she could tell her friend was crying.

"I'm sorry!" she was shouting. "I forgive you! Wake up so I can say it to your face!"

"Uh-oh," Rikku gasped, appearing at Yuna's side.

"What happened?" Paine asked quietly.

"I don't know," Yuna replied, shaking her head. "We'd better get down there, though."

The trio made their way down the cliff, running to Dylan's side. Emi was not moving.

"Dyl..." Rikku whispered, kneeling next to her friend.

"...I'm an awful person," Dylan sobbed, doubled over.

"No you're not," Yuna said, putting a hand gently on her head.

"We fought about nothing. About nothing at all!"

"Dylan... She really did mean to help you all along," Paine said quietly. Dylan whipped her head around. "She told me that just before we left. I don't think she intended any of this."

Slowly looking back at her friend, Dylan inhaled deeply.

"Why am I not used to this already?" she wondered out loud. "I'm always losing the people I care the most about."

Startling all of them, Dylan threw herself over Emi.

"WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ME TOO?" she screamed. "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO US?"

"Dylan!"

Grabbing Dylan's shoulders, Rikku pulled Dylan back and onto her backside. The brunette resisted, reaching out to her old friend. But Rikku had strength that Dylan had lost in her grief, and she slowly dragged her away.

"What should we do?" Yuna wondered, looking at Paine.

"We still have the concert," Paine pointed out. "Let's come back after and have Addison help us."

Nodding once, Yuna felt Paine leave her side to follow Rikku and Dylan out. Quietly, Yuna bowed a Yevonite's bow to Emi's quiet body. Even with the calm, the sadness had not ended.


	23. Chapter 23: They'll Hold You Forever

Chapter 23: They'll Hold You Forever (youtube - watch?v=bTjm5werNn8)

Memo: Wow, this is really flying by-I don't know if you all feel that way, but I certainly do! =] Please, enjoy and keep reading! :D

FLASHBACK START

"I can't believe you're actually here!" Dylan exclaimed, bouncing with excitement. "I've missed you so much! But, ew, Em, why are you with them? You should hang out with us. We're a lot more fun and a lot better!"

"You bet we are!" Rikku chipped in, dancing around as Yuna nodded.

"You're welcome to join us, if you want," the brunette added, smiling.

"..." Should she? What path was she supposed to take?

"What's wrong?" Dylan asked, frowning.

"...I don't think you understand why I'm here," Emi replied, her face falling as well.

"Maybe I don't. You should tell me," Dylan responded.

"I'm not here to join your little clan," Emi declared, making her decision. "I'm here to help myself. Not you."

"Excuse me?" Dylan looked upset. "I never really asked you to help me. I asked you to join us because you're supposed to be my friend."

"You're such a little kid, Dylan," Emi said, unable to hide a smirk. "Do you really think things can go back to the way they used to be?"

"I never said that! What gives you the right to put words into my mouth? I just want to know if you want to come with us, but now I'm not so sure I want you to, if you're going to act all holier-than-thou."

"Trust me, I wasn't planning on joining your little troupe. I like where I am, and that includes not having you around. We're different now. You need to realize that."

"Excuse me? Let me correct something: YOU are different now." Dylan scowled at Emi, who remained calm. If this was what destiny called for, then so be it. "Whatever. Whatever! If you don't want to join us, then you'll be at our mercy soon enough."

FLASHBACK END

Another tear rolled down my cheek as I squeezed my eyes shut. I don't think I had ever cried that much in my life. It was one thing when Tidus died, and even when Trisha died, because I expected both of those events. This was so sudden, and under the circumstances...

"You doing any better?" I felt Addy's hand touch my head gently, and it just made me cry harder.

Somehow, I believe that this was just a divine retribution. I had used Yuna, been dishonest, selfish, and my loneliness was my appropriate punishment.

But even that wasn't going to make me give up. I'd have to die for me to actually give up.

"Dylan..." I could hear Yuna talking, but it was still dark, since my eyes were shut. I wanted to say it was all a dream. "If you want to stay here instead of going to the concert, I understand-"

"No," I said quickly, opening my eyes. "No. I'll...I'll go." I wiped my eyes, even though I was still crying heavily. "If I stay here...I'll...go mad."

Yuna stared at me, not bothering to hide her concern.

"Dylan, are you sure?" Addy asked me. "It's only been an hour or so."

"I can mourn later," I realized, wiping my eyes again. "This is more important."

"...Only if you're sure."

"I'm positive," I murmured, looking Yuna in the eyes. She glanced at Addison, and he sighed through his nose, knowing neither he nor Yuna could stop me.

}{}{}{

"Hey, uh, the crowd is acting kinda funny," Rikku told Yuna when she walked over to talk to Shinra. As Yuna looked over Shinra's shoulder, Rikku hugged Dylan tightly. The brunette stood still.

"Let me pull the video up," Shinra said, pressing a few buttons. A shot of outside showed up on the computer screen in front of them. It showed groups of people bickering.

"Uh-oh," Rikku said as she turned to look at the screen. "This could get messy."

"No kidding," Buddy added, walking over. "The two groups have been bumping heads since they got on the airship. Yeah... Looks like they're itchin' to start somethin'."

"I'll pick up the audio," Shinra said. Soon the grumbles from the audience were echoing in the bridge as well.

"The Yevonites are here, too?" one man said. "How am I supposed to enjoy the concert with them stinking up the air?"

"Hey! You Youth League dogs will never be worthy of hearin' the high summoner sing!" a Yevonite shouted back.

"If the praetor were here, he'd never let these maggots walk around, spouting their nonsense," another man said, nodding in agreement.

"What I wanna know is, where'd Nooj go? It's his fault that Spira's falling apart! What kind of leader abandons his people when they need him most?"

Shinra ended the transmission, leaving the Gullwings silenced in shock.

"Don't they ever stop?" Yuna sighed.

"Seriously," Rikku added.

"Well, Yuna?" Paine said, putting a hand on her hip. "You're the one who wanted to do something."

"Yeah, but..." Yuna stopped herself, shaking her head. "Right."

"Hm. So let's do something."

"Right, let's do it!" Yuna cheered, beaming.

Just then, Tobli came rushing in, blathering on as usual.

"Oh, catastrophic catastrophe!" he cried, waving his little arms around. "Dear me, dear me! What oh whatever should I do? The spectators are making a spectacle! I don't even want to speculate..." He rushed to Yuna, grabbing her hand. "Please! Do something, Yuna!"

"Leave it to us!" she exclaimed, grinning.

"Yuna, we're counting on you!" he said.

"On with the show!"

}{}{}{

Rikku, Paine, and I watched in silence from the deck as Yuna stepped out toward the audience, putting the microphone to her mouth.

"One thousand years ago, before the time of Sin..." she began, looking at the people before her. "Spira was torn in two, divided by a terrible war. This was Spira's great mistake. Out of the rift left by this terrible conflict, Sin was born.

"In only two short years, Spira has shaken off its unhappy past. We have moved on. Now, Spira grows brighter with each passing day. That light is our strength. I don't want to see it fade. Do you?"

She paused, and some of the audience members shifted uncomfortably.

"There are so many of us, each with different ideas and different beliefs. Of course we sometimes disagree, and arguments will happen. But our hearts can and should always be one."

Suddenly another voice mingled with Yuna's. I knew it was Lenne, but it still creeped me out.

"Believe with me: even if we're torn apart, our feelings will unite us. That's what this song is about."

A flash of lightning lit up the sky as the music began. Yuna took in a breath to sing.

"I know that you're hiding things, using gentle words to shelter me," she sang. "Your words were like a dream, but dreams could never fool me-not that easily."

She seemed very comfortable in the song, swaying a bit to the beat. "I acted so distant then, didn't say goodbye before you left, but I was listening. You fight your battles far from me far too easily."

All of a sudden, the area around morphed into the old Zanarkand, the old lit-up city. All of us zoomed through, and I knew the audience could see it too, because some people tried to touch things. But it was just an illusion.

"'Save your tears 'cause I'll come back,' I could hear that you whispered as you walked through that door, but still I swore to hide the pain when I turned back the pages. Shouting might've been the answer. What if I'd cried my eyes out and begged you not to depart? But now I'm not afraid to say what's in my heart."

The images around us changed again, this time to Vegnagun. A few people screamed, but most reacted like my friends and I did-just stared in awe.

"'Cause a thousand words call out through the ages. They'll fly to you, even though I can't see." Yuna, from where we were standing, didn't look like Yuna anymore. Lenne had taken over-even her voice was changed. "I know they're reaching you, suspended on silver wings. Oh, a thousand words, one thousand embraces-they'll cradle you, making all of your weary days seem far away. They'll hold you forever."

We all watched as Lenne and Shuyin's story played out in front of us, and slowly, both Yuna and Lenne appeared, singing together.

"Oh, a thousand words," Lenne sang

"A thousand words," Yuna echoed.

"Have never been spoken."

"Ohhhh, yeah..."

"They'll fly to you, they'll carry you home."

"Carry you home!"

"And back into my arms."

"Suspended on silver wings!" Yuna sang, reaching out into the air with one hand as Lenne echoed with, "On silver wings!"

"And a thousand words..."

"Ohh!"

"Call out through the ages."

"Call through the ages!"

"They'll cradle you-"

"Ohh yeah!"

"Making all of your lonely years to only days."

"Only days!"

"They'll hold you forever!" the two girls sang, their voices blending together perfectly.

"Yeahhh... A thousand words..." Yuna sang quietly, the sun peeking through the normally dark clouds. As she brough the mic away from her face, I saw her tilt her head back, then collapse to her knees. Rikku rushed over, Paine and I following slowly.

Things were so difficult then, and we hadn't even gotten to the worst part yet. But I think we felt so safe because we had each other to rely on, no matter what.

}{}{}{

Yuna sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She had wanted to be strong for Dylan, but now she was the one groveling.

"Yuna..." Paine murmured. Yuna compressed a sob.

"I'm all right..." she assured her friend, wiping her eyes. "I'm fine, really. It's passed now."

She wiped her tears on the edge of the bed, inhaling slowly as Paine put a hand on Yuna's head. They turned as they heard footsteps headed their way. Dylan and Rikku appeared at the top of the stairs.

"What did Shinra say?" Paine asked.

"Umm, he said it might be some kind of, uh, interference with the sphere waves," Rikku replied, stumbling over her words. "Yunie's dressphere and the sphere screen reacted with each other and, uh... The consciousness burned into the dressphere was projected onto the screen! Or something like that."

"Basically, the memories stored in the dressphere were picked up by the screen's projectors," Dylan added.

"Okay, but that doesn't explain why it happened," Paine said impatiently.

"When I asked, he said, 'I'm only a kid,'" Rikku countered, shrugging.

"It's Lenne," Yuna interjected suddenly. "I was singing her feelings. During the song, I could feel them welling up inside until they just...burst."

"So the people we saw were Lenne...and Shuyin?" Paine wondered out loud. Shaking her head, the silver-haired warrior sighed. "Everyone's waiting. Let's go."

A few minutes later, Yuna was back to normal, and she and her friends were standing in the bridge. Surprisingly, Maechen was there, and for once, Yuna wanted him to be.

"'Twas a magnificent melody, Lady Yuna," he said, beaming at Yuna. "The onlookers were all quite enchanted."

"If it brings Spira together-even a little-then I'm glad," she replied, smiling back.

"Indeed, I believe it shall. As you sang, not a soul could help but

realize the folly of their tiresome squabbling. Fist once raised in anger became welcoming hands offering solace to a tearful neighbor. I must admit that I, too, shed my share of tears the moment Lenne appeared."

"You know Lenne?" Rikku gasped.

"Of course," Maechen answered. "Would you like to hear-"

"Yes!" Yuna cried. "Tell us!"

"Where to begin?" Maechen paused, then began to speak, the four girls gathered around him. "

About a thousand years ago, Lenne was a popular songstress in Zanarkand. The talk of the town, you might say. In a more peaceful age, she might have lived out her years as a performer. But the times-and her talents-did not allow such a thing to be. You see, Lenne's gift for singing was matched by her genius in the summoner's arts.

"When then Machina War began, all summoners were sent to the front lines. Zanarkand was hopelessly outnumbered, and Lenne knew she would not return home alive. Nonetheless, she was prepared to lay down her life to protect her people.

"Yet there was one person who refused to let Lenne die. Yes, he would do anything to save her. He was...a young man, Lenne's lover."

"Shuyin?" Rikku guessed.

"I...don't know," Maechen replied, frowning slightly. "His name has been lost to history. Whatever his name, the youth endeavored to steal the enemy's machina weapon and save Lenne. However..."

"It didn't go well," Yuna finished for him.

"The lovers met a truly tragic end. Those images we all witnessed are most certainly a record of their last moments."

}{}{}{

After Maechen had left, the four of us continued the speculating without him.

"So Shuyin was Lenne's lover," Paine said.

"And so that means the weapon that he tried to steal to save her must have been, umm..."

"Vegnagun, right?" Yuna finished for Rikku, looking at me. I nodded once.

"I think I can kinda understand how he felt...trying so hard to save

someone," Rikku said with a sigh. "Two years ago, I was the same. Trying to find some way...some way to save you." She looked at Yuna with her puppy-dog eyes, frowning a bit. Yuna just smiled.

"That was enough," she assured her. "Knowing that you were on my side... I'll always be grateful to you." She smiled again at Rikku, then at me.

"Maybe Lenne felt the same way," Paine stated. "The man she loved, he struggled to save her. He fought till his very last breath for her. I think that Lenne's final words might have been happy ones: 'I love you.'"

"Yes, there is a connection," Yuna agreed. "But wait... Everything is all wrong. He never heard. The one person she wanted to tell... He never heard her words."

Interrupting her thoughts, the alarm buzzer went off, making us groan.

"Whaddaya know, it's Leblanc's gang," Buddy said with a laugh. "They wanna see Yuna. I'll have them wait in the engine room."

"We'd better get down there, then," Rikku sighed. She grabbed my arm, dragging me off as Yuna and Paine followed. Soon the four of us were face-to-face with the Syndicate once again.

"I've been hunting around since we last met, and I happened to find a rather peculiar sphere," Leblanc said when she saw us, not bothering to say 'hello.' "It shows my Noojie-Woojie! For some reason that chump Baralai is there, too. But it's from some years ago. I'm afraid it's not much help now, loves."

She handed the sphere to Yuna, and I realized then that Emi HAD lied to join the Gullwings. Leblanc WAS hunting spheres, unlike Em's claim. She intentionally wanted to join us-was it really to apologize? I may never know.

"How about you? Have you tracked down my Noojie yet?" Leblanc asked Yuna.

"Nooj is on the Farplane," she replied calmly. "I saw him there with Gippal."

"The Farplane? What is he doing in a place like that?"

"I think he's searching for Baralai and Vegnagun."

"Oh, so Baralai is the one pulling Vegnagun's strings!" Leblanc exclaimed. "I should have known!"

"No, that's not it. How do I explain..." Yuna squinted with effort to find the words, but it was a lost cause. She should've known Leblanc's mind by now.

"Never mind, I don't have time for this." The blonde diva turned to her henchmen. "Boys, we're going to the Farplane!"

"Anything but that, boss!" Ormi whined.

"We're no match for that sort of opponent!" Logos argued.

"Now don't be silly. The power of love conquers all! It's decided. We're going to save Spira!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Yuna exclaimed.

"Say, where is Emilia? I know she ran off to be with you all-"

"She's not here anymore," Rikku said cautiously.

"My, did she leave you, too?"

"No, she died," I replied bluntly, glaring at Leblanc.

"Oh...my condolences." Two seconds of grief, and then, "Well then, get this tanker moving!"


	24. Chapter 24: Life is Magic

Chapter 24: Life is Magic (youtube - watch?v=zB1WCC3PE_c)

Memo: Hello~ ^^ We're wrapping things up now in the next few chapters, and then it's the end! O.o So I guess you could call this the beginning of the end. :P

FLASHBACK START

Brother rested his arms on the bar counter as Barkeep dried cups diligently. The blonde sighed sadly, plopping his chin on his arms.

"What...what should I do?" he asked the Hypello, his words beginning to slur from the alcohol.

"If yoo love her, tell her how yoo feel, yesh?" Barkeep replied.

"No!" the Al Bhed exclaimed. "I have said too much."

"Mish Yoona turns her back on yoo?"

"Maybe it is better that way. I..." Brother swallowed hard, smiling. "I like Yuna's back."

"She hash nice backshide, yesh."

"Yeah..." Brother perked up immediately, shaking his head. "No! No, no! These past two years, Yuna has always been looking ahead...into the distance. Always, her back is to me. I like this Yuna. Even more than a Yuna that is facing me. E muja ran. (I love her.)"

"The heart of man ish comapaplicated," Barkeep said sadly.

"You know what I say!" The blonde pounded his fist on the counter enthusiastically. "We two are born bachelors! Yes?"

"Shpeak for yoorshelf, shunny?"

From the side came another Hypello, this one with long eyelashes.

"Hi, shweetie," it said with a female's voice.

"Thish ish my Darling, yesh?" Barkeep told Brother.

"Wha... When?" Brother gasped, appalled.

"It ish the design of deshtiny," Darling replied sweetly.

"We in love at firsht shight," Barkeep added.

"Oh, shtop..."

"Ynkr, E lyr'd dyga id. (Argh, I can't take it.)"

Grumbling to himself, Brother stumbled out of the cabin area to find Buddy to console him.

FLASHBACK END

The rocks crunched beneath Yuna's feet as she and her friends walked into Zanarkand. It had emptied out almost completely, aside from themselves and the monkeys.

"It's finally quieted down, huh?" Rikku murmured.

The girls walked closer to the campfire, feeling its warmth.

"Well, I guess your memories are finally safe, Yuna," Paine declared.

"Yeah," Yuna replied, smiling a little. "But... I have to learn to be stronger. Even places full of memories... Even a place like this can't last forever. I need to accept that."

"You want to not care?" Paine said.

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Just be yourself," Rikku told her cousin.

"I guess. Yeah, you're right."

Yuna tilted her chin to the night sky as Dylan sat down in front of the fire.

_Perhaps one day, I'll find something more precious, she thought. But until that day comes, I want to protect this place. The monkeys can't do it alone_.

"Do you see something?" Paine asked Yuna as she stared into the distance.

"Maybe," she replied.

But suddenly she did see something-Maechen was standing off to the side. Yuna ran over to him, smiling.

"Ah, the Lady Yuna," he said, beaming at her with his kind eyes. "Would you like to hear about Vegnagun?"

"Of course!" Yuna answered, beckoning him over to the fire, where the other three girls were already sitting. Soon the five of them were sitting in a circle.

"Although Vegnagun was constructed during the Machina War, there is no record of it ever being used," Maechen began, the girls-except Dylan-absorbed in his story. "One could argue that the coming of Sin made war a secondary concern. But the real reason was...Vengagun was nothing short of a titanic failure.

"You see, it was quick to respond to hostility but lacked the ability to discern friend from foe. A weapon that slaughters indiscriminately would be far too dangerous for actual use in combat. Incidentally, that's why Vegnagun was never considered as a measure to combat Sin. Instead, it was locked away under Bevelle."

"Geez, gramps, you really know a lot!" Rikku exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Where'd you learn all that?" Paine asked, crossing her arms.

"Hmm, that would be..."

"That would be...?" Rikku echoed impatiently.

"Well... _This _would explain things."

Suddenly pyreflies began to come out of Maechen's body. Yuna gasped.

"Gramps!" Rikku cried. "You're dead?"

Maechen just sighed. "Mortifying, isn't it? Over the years, I managed to completely forget that I am unsent. It was only when I shook your hand, Lady Yuna, that I remembered."

"Why?" Yuna asked quietly.

"One thousand years ago, here in Zanarkand, I shook the hand of another young lady."

"A thousand years," Paine whispered, in awe. Maechen nodded once.

"...It was Lenne," Yuna concluded.

"Correct. It was quite a strange feeling, shaking your hand. Two different people from distant times with exactly the same handshake."

"You've met a lot of people, huh?" Rikku asked, grinning.

"Yes, my child. Many meetings, and just as many partings. There are many people I have known, and all journeyed to the Farplane, leaving only me behind. It is...quite lonely."

Maechen double over, more pyreflies shooting out of him. Soon his entire body was engulfed in a bright light.

"Gramps!" Rikku cried. When the light had disappeared, three people were now with them at the campfire.

"Father?" Yuna exclaimed, shocked.

"Do forgive me," Maechen's voice rang out. "My memories seem to have a mind of their own."

"So people really are connected," Yuna said quietly.

"Ah, but of course."

"Well, Maechen, thank you. I hope we meet again."

"As do I."

}{}{}{

"Hey!"

We all turned eagerly at the sound of Wakka's voice. I knew by now he and Lulu had had their baby, so I definitely heard the excitement in his tone. He also had a huge grin plastered on his face when he approached us.

"It's a boy!" he exclaimed happily. "You wanna meet him?"

"Yeah!" Yuna replied.

"Duh!" I added as we followed him back into Besaid.

The five of us rushed over to Lulu, who came out of their little house holding the tiny baby. He was seriously puny.

"Ur, ra ec cu lida! (Oh, he is so cute!)" Rikku squeaked.

"Look at his hands!" Yuna added, gently touching his hand with a finger. "They're so tiny!"

"What do you think?" Wakka asked us. "He's cute, ya? Good thing he don't look like me."

"Don't be silly," Yuna said, pointing. "Look, he's got your mouth."

"And your hair, definitely," I laughed, gesturing to the orange mess of fuzz atop his head.

"You think so?" Wakka scratched the back of his head modestly.

"What's his name?" Rikku asked.

"I think the Calm will end before Wakka make up his mind," Lulu said with a big smirk.

"Well, you better decide soon," Yuna said sternly.

"No rushing, ya?" Wakka insisted. "Naming my son is my first important decision as a parent. Becoming a good father requires intense emotional preparation, ya?"

"How long you planning on preparing?" Rikku asked suspiciously.

"Until, uh...my preparations are done, ya?"

Smirking, I looked at Lulu. "Lulu, is it true Beclem is leaving soon?" She nodded, confirming it. "Yuna, do you want to see him off?"

"Why not?" she said, shrugging. "We'll be back later, okay?"

Wakka and Lulu smiled, both of them nodding.

The four of us headed down the rocky path to the beach, where indeed, Beclem was waiting for a ship.

"Has Wakka settled on a name for his kid?" he asked when he saw us. Apparently he assumed we went to see Wakka and Lulu first. Well, he assumed correctly.

"No, not yet," Yuna said, smiling anyway.

"Never could make up his mind."

Beclem began to walk away, but then he stopped, turning to us.

"I have something here," he said. "I'd like you to give it to him." Beclem reached into his deep pockets and handed Yuna a sphere. "It's a memory of a war buddy. I'd give it to him myself, but..." He tilted his head toward the boat. "You understand."

"All aboard!" the captain shouted from the top of his boat. "We'll be settin' sail shortly!"

"See he gets it."

Beclem's train of thought was soon interrupted by a Blitzball rolling into his foot. He paused a moment, then looked up to see the Aurochs approaching him.

"Sorry!" Keepa said, frowning a little. He seemed a little afraid.

Beclem didn't respond with words; instead he backed up and pulled off this really amazing Blitzball kick, even knocking some of the Aurochs down with it.

"Whoa!" Keepa gasped.

"Practice harder!" Beclem shouted gruffly.

"Hey!"

"Next time we meet, let's blitz, ya?" Jassu said, holding the ball tightly between his rough hands.

"Yeah!" Datto jumped in. "Show us that shot again sometime!"

"Slackers to the very end," Beclem said quietly, shaking his head in disappointment. I couldn't tell if it was genuine or not, but something told me he had become a little attached.

}{}{}{

"What's the matter?" Yuna asked Wakka as he stood at the entrance of the village, frowning slightly.

"I thought I'd go say goodbye to Beclem," he replied, glancing at the brunette.

"He's already gone," Yuna said quietly.

"Oh."

"He gave me this sphere," she added, holding out the sphere.

"For me?" Wakka asked, and when Yuna nodded, he said, "Hey, let's see."

Yuna held the sphere out, turning the projection on. It showed Chappu sitting there, with Wakka in the background. They were both a bit younger, but looked the same.

"Hey, Wakka, remember that time..." Chappu said quietly. "Nah, you prob'ly forgot. Somethin' I told you back when we were kids, ya? There's a sphere on the island, I said. Showin' Mom and Dad." Chappu paused, grimacing. "I lied. Truth is, there's no such sphere. I'm sorry.

"Back then, you'd lecture me no matter what I did," he continued. "'Someone has to keep you in line, ya?' I guess I was kinda bitter. That's why I made up that story about the sphere."

"If you got time to take pictures, you got time to pray!" Wakka cut in from the background, kneeling as he did a traditional prayer. "Especially since you're joining the Crusaders."

"Enough with the preaching!" Chappu snapped back.

"Someone has to keep you in line, with our parents not around."

Chappu turned back to the sphere recorder. "Knock it off with the surrogate parenting and give us both a break. I just need you to be my brother."

The recording ended, and Wakka let out a frustrated sigh.

"His brother, ya," he said quietly. "I don't know why he just couldn't come out and say it. Anyways..." Wakka perked up, looking at the Gullwings. "You guys stay in the village till nightfall, at least, ya?"

"Of course!" Yuna exclaimed, smiling.

Night came quickly as the girls passed the day catching up with Lulu and the other villagers. Soon, though, Wakka had everyone gathered around the campfire.

"Well you probably know why I called you all here, huh?" Wakka said in a booming, proud voice. "I'd like to introduce the newest member of Besaid Village."

"We already met him!" Datto shouted from the crowd, grinning.

"So you picked a name yet?" Botta added.

"Don't tell me this is a brainstorming session!" Jassu laughed.

Wakka frowned, almost pouting. "Like I'd do something like that!" he shouted back, defensive. "I chose a name. His name is Vidina. Everybody take good care of him, ya?"

After that, people scattered, partying and talking with smiles on their faces. Yuna sat down by Wakka and Lulu, grinning brightly.

"Congrats," she said.

"I always try to cram myself into some kinda mold, you know?" Wakka said with a sigh. "A blitzer, or a guardian, or a follower of Yevon... And now, a father. I always get so wound up about what I should be. But you know, in the end I'm just me." He let out a sigh.

"Anyway, I can't keep coming up with new Wakkas all the time, eh? So it looks like I'll just have to start doing things my way. That's the way I'll write our story." He smiled at Lulu, who couldn't help but smile back.

"Hang in there, Dad," Yuna teased.

"Sin was nothin' compared to diaper changing, ya?" he shot back.

Later, after everyone had gone inside to sleep, and after the girls had left as well, Wakka and Lulu were alone beside the fire.

"Hey," Wakka said. "Sorry it took me so long to decide on a name, Lu."

"It's all right," Lulu assured him. "I knew it would be worth the wait. I had faith."

"You? Had faith in me?"

Lulu looked amused, for once. "Wakka, we're in this together. Whether you see it or not, I really do rely on you."

"Guess I'd better not drop the ball, ya?" he said with a goofy smile.

"You won't."

From the entrance of the village, the Gullwings watched the two lovers quietly, smiles on their faces.

"They're in their own little world," Rikku commented, her grin growing wider.

"It's about time," Dylan said, nodding once in approval.

"Come on," Paine murmured.

"Let's not bother them," Yuna told the girls, waving them away.

}{}{}{

Not to anyone's surprise, we arrived at Kilika to discover a riot going on. People of the town were gathered at the gate that led to the temple, all shouting, all angry, all ages.

"Let me go to the temple!" a preteen-aged boy shouted. "I wanna see my sister!"

"This road is closed," the guard said, strict. "I can't let you through!"

"What's wrong with wanting to see our families!" a man shot back, ticked off.

"But, without orders, I can't let you pass!" the guard countered.

"My my my my..."

That line always meant something was about to become interesting. Sure enough, Dona appeared, looking even pissier than usual.

"Some boys don't know how to behave," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Haven't you noticed you're the only one still nitpicking over party politics? New Yevon this, Youth League that." She waved a finger at the guard. "It's called a complex. Get over it. Weren't you listening to the song?"

I saw Rikku out of the corner of my eye elbowing Yuna lightly, a grin on her face.

"Now let them through," Dona commanded him.

"But, without the order..." the guard said helplessly.

"I just gave you an order." Dona's voice was so low, it sounded almost like a man speaking.

"R-Right away!"

To the crowd's delight, the guard rushed to open the gate. The people poured out, shouting happily.

"Sis, I'm coming!" the little boy from before shouted.

"Let's check it out," Rikku suggested. We nodded, knowing something interesting could come out of this.

"Songs are powerful," Paine commented as we watched the people ahead of us scramble to get to the temple.

"The best weapon of all," I agreed, smiling.

"I guess everyone felt it," Yuna said.

"What you felt?" Rikku asked.

"No, not me. Lenne."

}{}{}{

The Gullwings finally fought through the crowds to get into the now-packed temple. Amongst the spectators and guards, the girls found Barthello and Dona.

_Oh, this should be good_, Yuna thought with a smile.

"Dona!" Barthello cried, his face opening up in glee.

"Hmph," Dona grunted, folding her arms across her chest. "Well, I... It seems to me you have forgotten who it is you are supposed to be guarding. I ought to fire you for just up and leaving me the way you di-"

"Dona!" Barthello bellowed once more, looking totally pathetic. Dona threw her hands down to her sides like a little kid.

"Don't interrupt!" she exclaimed angrily. "I've been practicing these lines for days, so be quiet and let me finish!"

Along with the people around her, Yuna laughed as Barthello rushed up to Dona, his eyes wide and wet.

"Dona, please forgive me!" he cried. "I'll apologize as much as you want! Don't say I can't be your guardian anymore! I'll never leave your side again."

"Aww..." The onlookers were all watching avidly, like this was some sort of show.

"That's so sweet," Yuna said to her friends, who all nodded in agreement.

"Shut up," Dona snapped; apparently she had heard Yuna's comment.

"You're making such a scene!" she then said, turning back to Barthello. "How humiliating. Don't think that you're off the hook for embarrassing me like this. You'll be making this up to me for the rest of your life."

"Dona!" Barthello cheered as she walked up to him.

"Barthello, we're leaving," she said, making the audience cheer.

A few moments later, the Gullwings collected themselves to get ready to leave.

"Wow..." Yuna murmured, looking around them one last time. There was glitter and confetti everywhere, and balloons littered the sky.

"It's so pretty," Rikku said, her eyes glowing. Seconds later, the Celsius soared into sight.

"Hey, what's with all the balloons?" Buddy asked through the air transmittor.

"Oooh!" Brother's squeal echoed. "A Gullwings welcome bash? Party!"

"Dryd guccat dra suut (That killed the mood.)," Rikku grumbled as Dylan laughed, dragging her away.


	25. Chapter 25: I Know Where I've Been

Chapter 25: I Know Where I've Been (youtube - watch?v=5OVyoScw2a4)

Memo: And whooooo loves Hairspray? I do! :D Wow, okay, we are getting soooo close. Everyone, thanks so much for sticking with it! Ganbatte! Hai, ikimaaaasu~!

FLASHBACK START

Sticking her foot into the rubbery bodysuit, Dylan grinned up at Rikku, who was already dressed.

"I feel like we belong in the Syndicate now," she giggled, posing like Leblanc. The other girls just laughed. "Ormi, Logos! Do my bidding, looooooves." Rikku drew out the words "loves" with an overexaggerated hand gesture.

"Who is who?" Yuna asked, placing the goggles over her eyes.

"Sorry, Yuna, you're Ormi. Paine has to be Logos because she's sarcastic," Dylan said, laughing as Yuna's face fell into a pout.

"Ew, ew! No way!" Yuna picked up the Blitzball resting on the bench next to Paine. "Change it or I'll hit you!"

"Too late!" Rikku laughed, hiding behind Dylan for cover. "I'm already Leblanc! And Dylan is Emi, so-"

The room fell silent for a moment, but Dylan shook her head quickly, her curls bouncing around.

"It's okay," she assured them. "It's okay. C'mon, the practice game's about to start anyway!"

Snatching the ball out of Yuna's hands, Dylan stepped into the transfer chamber.

_I'm doing this to release those negative emotions, anyway_, she thought as the water surrounded her bit by bit. _So...it's okay to laugh a little_.

FLASHBACK END

It was pretty sunny when we came out of the Blitzball arena. The sky seemed hopeful, like a sign of good things to come.

But we still had so much left to do before taking on the real mission and heading down to the Farplane. It felt like that would be forever away.

"We should probably get going, right?" Yuna asked me, tugging on my hair to make the curls bounce.

"Oh, yeah," I said absent-mindedly. I knew I was missing something; there was something else that had to happen here.

Suddenly a flash of tan and red caught my eye, and I looked to see a tiny little Moogle standing there.

"Hnn?" I grunted, walking toward it. Suddenly it took off. "Hey!" I shouted, chasing after it.

I could hear my friends calling after me, but I kept running. This was supposed to be happening to Yuna, but the tides had certainly changed.

_But I don't HAVE any memories of me and Tidus in Luca. I wasn't there for that_, I realized. _So... So maybe this will lead to something new_.

Heart pounding, I chased the Moogle out to the docks and toward the Mi'ihen Highroad. It stopped suddenly, the vanished into thin air, dropping something as it left.

Kneeling down, I picked up a silver chain. It turned out to be a necklace, and the charm on the end was as familiar as it could possibly get.

"Your sign," I whispered, touching Tidus' symbol with my index finger. "...Why did you send this? What's going on?"

I stood upright again, looking up into the sky.

"Don't tell me I'm running out of time," I said, my voice wavering.

"Dylan!"

Upon hearing my name, I pocketed the necklace quickly and ran toward my friends.

"Sorry," I said, smiling a little. "I thought I saw something."

}{}{}{

Yuna breathed in deeply as she stepped into Guadosalam once again. Her brain was still trying to process all of the information it acquired: Paine spoke Al Bhed, Shuyin had possessed Nooj two years ago, and Dylan had found a strange sign during their stay in Luca. Top it off with Blitzball techniques, and Yuna's mind was officially stuffed.

However, after a good night's sleep, she was feeling better, and she could approach the Moonflow and now Guadosalam with an open, alert mind.

At the present, the Guado were gathered back into their home, listening to the musicians from Macalania play.

"There could be no sweeter melody," Tromell said to the girls. "It is as if this music delivered the Guado from our unhappy fate. Reviled by all of Spira, most of my people decided to forsake Guadosalam. Those of us who remained until the very end eventually tired of our miserable fortune and fled to Macalania. We went to wither away, together with the woods."

Tromell's face brightened a bit. "That is when we met our musical friends. They, too, were prepared to fade away with their beloved Macalania Woods. Yet hearing them perform, I felt a quickening in my blood. I was quite moved. I could not stand by and let such exquisite music be extinguished. After consulting with the other Guado, I decided to bring them home to Guadosalam. Not a single Guado objected.

"It's been many years since I've seen such solidarity among my people. Surely this music was the salve that healed our weary hearts."

The girls and Tromell listened for a little while before Tromell spoke again.

"I am quite aware of the Ronso's hatred for the Guado," Tromell said sadly. "If they were to attack tomorrow, I would neither run nor hide. If they asked to talk, I would talk. Were they to take my life, I would give it willingly."

"Not the Ronso," Yuna said, shaking her head. "They don't want bloodshed."

"Right, 'cause their elder's on top of things!" Rikku exclaimed cheerfully.

"That is auspicious news." Tromell raised his eyebrows, obviously pleased. "The Guado, too, must choose a new leader."

"What about you?" Rikku suggested.

}{}{}{

"What about you?" Rikku said to Tromell, her eyes lighting up. He looked wary, and I don't really blame him.

"Preposterous!" he exclaimed, shaking his head slowly. "I will never be remembered for anything but my service under Lord Jyscal and Lord Seymour."

"But they're dead now," I argued. "You have no one left to protect or serve except for those around you."

"No, I-"

"Ah, quit yer bellyachin'!" Donga the drummer shouted from afar. "Ye'd make a fine leader."

Tromell seemed taken aback by all of this. The guy had been humble and subservient his whole life, and now all of this...

"You guided us to salvation without any concern for your own safety," Bayra added, stroking his harp gently. "You show resolve worthy of a leader."

"But my strength came from your music!" Tromell insisted, flustered.

"You're wrong," Paine said. "The music only helped you unlock your own inner strength."

Tromell seemed to consider this seriously.

"You really think so?" he asked. When we all nodded, he straightened up, growing noticably more confident. "Then I will work these old bones as best I can. For my beloved Guado."

"If you're ever feeling weary, we'll play a song to make you cheery!" Pukutak chanted, smiling.

Tromell smiled back, and so did we. Finally, closure for these people. It took too long, but at least it finally came.

}{}{}{

The Gullwings arrived in the Thunder Plains to see many Al Bhed people running around frantically, their shouts echoing through the thunder.

"Fiends!" was one word Yuna did recognize.

"Sphere waves scattered during the concert caused fiends endemic to this region to rampage," Shinra said through a transmission.

"So, in other words, your Sphere Screen is to blame," Paine said, crossing her arms in irritation.

"Huh. 'Find a sphere and the fiends appear'?"

"Touche, touche."

"Well, let's split up," Yuna decided. "We can meet up back here after we take care of these little guys. "Deal?"

But even after their efforts, the lightning and the chaos didn't stop. It barely even slowed down.

"Um, the lightning isn't stopping..." Rikku whimpered, clinging to Dylan's arm.

"Don't tell me you're getting scared again," Dylan said with a big smirk.

"Let's look around some more," Yuna insisted, leading the way through the rain. "Which towers did you all clear out? I got those first couple at the beginning."

"I went out toward the edge," Dylan said. "There was one tower I didn't get to, because there was a huge fiend there, and there was just no way in hell I was doing that by myself."

After walking for a bit, the girls finally reached the last tower, approaching it cautiously. Yuna took an extra step forward, and then the large fiend appeared.

"Yuna!" Paine shouted, dragging her back out of the way.

"Bring it, beefsteak!" Rikku cried, readying herself for battle.

}{}{}{

After defeating the fiend, we were led to a mysterious hole in the base of one of the towers. There we found...

"Vydran? (Father?)" Rikku said, looking down at Cid.

"Howdy!" he said. I facepalmed.

"Howdy? What howdy?" Rikku frowned angrily. "What the heck are you doing?"

"I found a hole, so I decided to explore it. Call it curiousity." Cid shrugged. "But this place is swarmin' with fiends! I, uh...can't get out. Do Pop a favor and show him the way out of here."

Cid tried to push himself up, but just as quickly went back down.

"Must've pulled something," he muttered, making Rikku facepalm this time.

"You are so lame!" she exclaimed.

"Who's gonna carry him?" Yuna asked us.

"Hey, let a man keep his pride!" Cid yelled.

"Got a better idea?" Paine said, a hand on her hip.

Cid reached up and pressed a rock on the wall. "Well, how 'bout this: make yer old man proud and scrap that thing!"

A door opened to reveal a large machina.

"That's it?" Rikku said, walking over to it. "Seriously, this is it?"

"This is going to take, like, two seconds, isn't it?" I asked her. She just grinned.

"If I can be as good as you, just one second should suffice!"

Diving under the machine, Rikku tinkered around with the machina, dismantling it like a pro.

"If she can do this, then Vegnagun should be a snap," Paine said with a broad smirk.

"I sure hope so," Yuna said quietly.

"There!" Rikku exclaimed, crawling out from below. "All done!"

In a matter of seconds, the machina collapsed, parts of it exploding and destroying other parts.

"Very nice," I said, clapping. She bowed.

"Daahykanc draca tyoc yna uid uv luhdhym! (Teenager these days are out of control!)" Cid shouted from the side. Yuna turned to her uncle, trying to put on a nice face.

"Um, you're welcome aboard our airship," she said.

Suddenly the air crackled as a transmission came through.

"Vydran, ev oui fyhd uh dra creb, ybumukewa du sa. (Father, if you want on the ship, apologize to me.)"

It was Brother, and he sounded pretty upset. I knew their relationship was probably not the best, and that was something I could relate to. Maybe it would bring Addy and I closer to Brother and Rikku.

"E's cunno, cuh. (I'm sorry, son.)" Cid looked up at the rocky ceiling.

"Dryd fyc duu ayco. Fryd'c ra bmuddehk? (That was too easy. What's he plotting?)"

"Hmph."

We boarded the airship soon after, and as I went to go talk to Addy, I could hear Rikku and Brother arguing with Cid in the bridge.

"Femm oui xied ouin nalgmacc bemudehk? (Will you quit your reckless piloting?)" Cid bellowed at Brother.

"Seht ouin ufh picehacc, Vydran! (Mind your own business, Father!)" Brother yelled back, keeping his eyes on the sky, thankfully.

"Tuh'd cdnyeh ourncamv, Vydran (Don't strain yourself, Father.)," Rikku cut in. "Oui sekrd pnayg cusadrehk. (You might break something.)"

"Ed ec uin creb. Mad ic ryhtma ed. (It is our ship. Let us handle it.)" Brother said, calming down.

Cid paused. "Tu fryd oui fyhd. (Do what you want.)" he finally said. I could hear his footsteps approaching, so I made a dash to the elevator. It was best he thought no one was listening.


	26. Chapter 26: Won't Be Long

Chapter 26: Won't Be Long (youtube - watch?v=xFfFcwPPixs)

Memo: Wahhh! Only five chapters left! whoa...mind is blown. XD I hope you enjoy these last few! :D Thanks for sticking with it so far! Thanks a bunch!

FLASHBACK START

Resting her head on his leg, Dylan inhaled deeply. It had been a few days, but the wounds were still fresh in her heart.

"It's okay to cry."

She felt her brother put a hand on her head. A few tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I owe her an apology, too," she said quietly. "Next time I get the chance...I want to visit the Farplane to say I'm sorry."

"You'll be able to," Addison assured her. "I'm positive."

"Oh man, do I hope so..."

Wiping her eyes, Dylan sat upright.

"I feel like I'm losing everybody," she said, sighing. "So don't YOU go anywhere."

Addison just smiled. "I won't. Don't worry."

FLASHBACK END

It seemed lonelier than usual in Macalania Woods, Yuna felt. She realized that the woods really were beginning to fade out, and the life with them would soon disappear.

The only person that appeared to be there besides themselves was a lone Guado. Yuna approached him, and he smiled sadly.

"The Guado who sought shelter in these woods have returned home to Gudaosalam," he told her. "They were accompanied by Macalania's other races, who had already begun to fade away with this place. Alas, these woods have grown far too quiet."

Without saying anything more, the Guado left, walking toward Guadosalam himself.

"The woods are so empty..." Yuna sighed sadly.

"I guess this place doesn't have much time left," Rikku added, frowning. "Kinda sad to think that all of this will be gone, huh?"

"What's going to be left afterward, I wonder?" Dylan said, turning over a rock with her foot.

"At least...we have our memories," Paine murmured. Yuna nodded once.

The girls continued through the forest. Although they could've simply flown over it in no time, there was something about passing through that gave Yuna comfort. Perhaps it was because some of her strongest, sweetest memories rested here.

Soon the girls reached the spring, and Yuna sighed through her nose.

"Hey, guys?" she said. "Mind giving me a moment alone?"

"Why?" Paine asked as Dylan headed off.

"Got it," Rikku said, grinning. "Come on, Paine!"

She grabbed her silver-haired friend by the hand and began dragging her off.

"Uh...sure."

Yuna just smiled to herself.

_This is such a strong memory_... she thought, gazing out into the spring. ..._But that's all those are: memories. I can't keep living in my past forever. There are too many other things to worry about_.

}{}{}{

Putting a hand against the tree trunk, I closed my eyes, a smile appearing on my face.

_Kimahri... I can never thank you enough, my friend_.

This was the same tree that I had hidden behind two years before. I had watched fate slap me in the face two years before. But two years later...things were so, so different. I felt a little bit more assured.

Silently, I watched Yuna as she looked out at the water. To tell you the truth, I wasn't just happy that she'd let Tidus go because it made MY life easier. Truly, I was glad that she had found closure in all of this, and that she could move on with her life without being sad.

And of course, it made me happy that my brother was benefitting from all of this, too.

_We're just one big happy family up in here_, I thought, grinning to myself.

Stepping out of the bushes, I ran to catch up with Rikku and Paine. Soon, Yuna joined us, and we made our way to O'aka's place. We were going to need supplies if we were to take out Vegnagun as planned.

"How dare ye drag yer sorry bum back here!" O'aka was shouting. "Ye cast away the family business and ran off for the hills! Gone a whole year, ye were! And ye call yerself O'aka XXIV!"

"But...but you opened the store again with even tellin' me!" Wantz cried, sincere. "Why, I only left back then 'cause my job was gone!"

"Well...I couldn't help it. I got an itch for peddling, I did." O'aka started to walk into his store, then sighed. "Oh, get in here. Don't want you catching cold."

"Brother..."

Stepping out of the doorway, O'aka continued ranting.

"I'm right ready to pound some business sense into that hapless head o' yours!" he exclaimed.

"But this doesn't strike me as the best place for getting customers," Wantz pointed out quietly.

"Don't be a dunderhead! Open your eyes, lad! Maybe ye've failed to notice our biggest customer has just graced us with her presence!"

He gestured to Yuna and the rest of us. Wham bam. We're really that awesome.

"Lady Yuna!" Wantz cried happily.

"Now's your chance to practice, lad!" O'aka exclaimed. "Do it just like I taught ye."

"All right. W-Welcome to O'aka's."

"You buffoon! Put some spine into it, lad!" O'aka puffed himself up proudly. "Follow me example: Welcome to O'aka's!"

Wantz tried again. "Welcome to O'aka's."

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Welcome to O'aka's!"

"O-O'aka's welcome to... D'oh! That's not right!"

"Read. My. Lips. Welcome to O'aka's!"

"Welcome to O'aka's. I read your lips."

It was beginning to sound like Addy and me...

"Welcome to O'aka's!" O'aka sang out.

"That's not how it goes!" Wantz sang back.

"I didn't ask ye!"

"Everything's back to normal, I guess..." Yuna said with a small laugh.

}{}{}{

Yuna was beyond exhausted when she and her companions reached Bevelle. She had spent nearly all of her energy the previous day fighting fiend after fiend, and then an even BIGGER fiend, all in Bikanel Desert. The Al Bhed were safe now, though, so at least it was worth the effort.

"Hey."

Yuna jumped a bit, but calmed down when she saw Maroda approach them.

"Hi, Maroda," she said. "Aren't you a member of the Youth League? What are you doing in front of New Yevon's headquarters?"

"I've been asking myself the same question," he replied, frowning. "Look."

He gestured to a clump of people surrounding none other than Isaaru.

"My brother heard that Bevelle was a mess and came all the way from Zanarkand," Maroda explained. "Hey, he can do what he wants, but what I wanna know is: How did I get dragged into this?"

"You're protecting Bevelle together," Yuna answered.

"Yeah, I guess that's about right. Somebody's gotta watch his back."

"Once a guardian, always a guardian," Dylan said with a smile. Maroda just smirked.

Suddenly a small voice rang out.

"Hey Maroda, who you talkin' about?" Pacce asked, bounding over to them. His fellow sphere hunting buddies followed him.

"We're talking about how brothers have to stick together," Maroda said.

"Oh, okay! See you later, Lady Yuna!" Pacce turned to the hoarde of children behind him. "Kinderguardians, move out!"

"Yes, sir!"

"They're multiplying!" Rikku exclaimed as they ran off.

"Yeah! They're turning into a regular Kindercorps," Maroda laughed.

"Well, at least they're having fun," Yuna said with a smile.

"Maybe fun is all this world really needs," Maroda said, laughing again.

}{}{}{

"Isaaru's changed, too, huh?" Rikku asked Maroda. He frowned.

"Him? He'll never change." Maroda just sighed. "He goes around playing superhero and leaves us with all the headaches."

"Hey, I know someone like that," Rikku said with a grin.

"Me too, me too," I agreed, laughing.

"Oh, someone who goes around playing superhero, is it?" Paine said, smirking. Yuna looked completely lost, as usual.

"You mean Brother!" she finally concluded. I busted up laughing in response, and her confused face reappeared.

"Wrong," Paine said through my laughter.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you're just too much sometimes," I giggled, wiping my eyes.

"Buddy?" she then guessed. Now Rikku was laughing, too.

"Nope," the blonde said with a giant grin on her face.

"Well, uh, Rikku, Dylan, why don't we get going?" Paine suggested, a smile making its way onto her normally serious face. I got a glimpse of Maroda, and he was stifling laughter, too.

"Yup, sounds good," Rikku said.

"Let's go," I agreed.

As the three of us began to run away, we heard Yuna shouting at us from behind.

"Come on," she called out to us. "Tell me who!"

"That naivety never gets old," Paine said with a loud laugh.

After changing the subject many times over and a lot of evasiveness, we soon landed in Mount Gagazet.

Once again, upon arriving, we witnessed yet another argument between Garik and Kimahri.

"Elder, what path should Ronso walk?" Garik shouted. "Garik not know!"

"Garik must be patient," Kimahri assured him.

"Garik feel hate, try to stop. But without path, hate is strong. Garik lost to hate. Garik rather unleash anger than go mad searching for path Garik cannot find!"

"Kimahri tell Garik many times. Force not solve problems."

"Then what good is power Ronso receive from mountain?" Garik bellowed angrily. "Once Ronso train to defend Yevon sacred ground. But now summoners not come! Ronso power go to waste! Kimahri true elder? Then Kimahri answer Garik!"

Kimahri stood silent. Garik scowled.

"Kimahri no elder," he growled, walking away.

We took this as our chance to talk to Kimahri.

"Yuna see Kimahri's shame," he said quietly.

"Don't be ashamed!" Yuna said quickly.

"Yeah! Yunie's right!" Rikku agreed. "Forget about that ogre."

"Kimahri is elder," Kimahri said, shaking his head slowly. "Kimahri must lead way to Ronso future."

Before any of us could interject, a female Ronso approached us.

"Elder! Good news," she said. "Ronso children return to mountain."

}{}{}{

"We caused Elder Kimahri much worry," Lian said as he and Ayde stood before Kimahri and the Gullwings. "But we could not find a way to restore Elder's horn."

"We are sorry," Ayde added.

"No apologies," Kimahri said. "Lost Lian and Ayde trouble Kimahri more than lost horn."

"Elder..." Lian murmured, lowering his head.

"Lian and Ayde enjoy seeing vast Spira?" he then asked, smiling.

"Yes, Elder," Ayde responded immediately. "Ayde did not want to come home."

"Lian felt that way, too," Lian jumped in. "We saw today's Spira with our own eyes, and we fought deeply. We think about path to future Spira."

"We decided. We will journey again and meet many people."

Kimahri nodded once in approval. "Long journey teach Lian and Ayde more than icy mountain can."

The youths nodded back, smiling as they walked away. For a moment, Kimahri seemed lost in thought.

"Kimahri?" Yuna murmured.

"Kimahri decide," he said, walking away.

The girls followed Kimahri to the summit, where Garik was waiting for them.

"Garik not listen unless Kimahri speak of Ronso future!" Garik yelled. "Kimahri unable to give answer he not have! Kimahri not elder!"

Rushing at Kimahri, Garik threw a punch and knocked him back, laughing.

"Can I hurt him?" Paine asked.

"No, I'll beat you to it," Dylan replied angrily.

Yuna looked ready to go after Garik.

"Ooh," Rikku breathed. "Now she's mad."

"So be it," Kimahri suddenly growled. "Kimahri teach Garik how to use force!"

Swiftly, like the old days, Kimahri hit Garik with a strong uppercut.

"Hiyaaa!" Rikku squealed, being a dork.

"Kimahri use force?" Garik bellowed from the snowy ground. "Force not solve problems! Kimahri still have no answer!"

"Silence!" Kimahri roared. "Garik not think for himself! Beg Kimahri for answer!"

Yuna looked at Kimahri, shocked to see him so angry.

"Garik not even pup!"

"What?" Garik shouted.

"Lian and Ayde make long journey," Kimahri told him, settling down. "Find own path."

"So, Garik must settle Garik problems?"

"Wrong. Garik not alone. Let us think together. Kimahri is elder."

"Elder right."

Kimahri helped Garik up.

"One Ronso problem is problem for all," Garik said. "All Ronso problem is problem for one."

"One day Ronso path will be clear. This Kimahri believe."


	27. Chapter 27: Proof of Love

Chapter 27: Proof of Love (youtube - watch?v=QSdG47K6-Jc)

Memo: Excuse me as I spazz: OMFG SO CLOOOOSE. End spazz. Anyway, this is the beginning of the end. I hope you all enjoy it thoroughly! :D

FLASHBACK START

The brave Ronso people stood around the stone statue, quiet as the stone itself.

"Maybe it needs horn?" Garik asked Kimahri. Smiling, Kimahri shook his head no, looking up at the image of himself.

"Kimahri think looking at road ahead better than looking back on things lost," he said. "Kimahri look at future."

"Garik want to see too," Garik said, smiling for once.

"Ronso must look together, without fear!" Kimahri shouted to the crowd of onlookers. They gathered closer as Garik raised his fist above his head.

"Honor to Ronso! Honor to mountain!" he bellowed. "Long live Elder Kimahri!"

"Long live Kimahri!" Lian and Ayde echoed, starting up a chant in the crowd.

"Better than looking back on things lost, he said," Yuna said to her friends, smiling.

"Dylan, will you take care of that one?" Paine asked, pointing to Rikku, who had joined the chanting Ronsos.

FLASHBACK END

Yuna walked into the bridge, everyone present to make decisions and say their goodbyes.

"Made up your mind?" Brother asked Yuna. "Where will you jump in?"

"Bevelle Temple," she replied, glancing at us. We nodded in agreement. That was where we had decided was best. It was the quickest route, after all.

"You're really going in?" Brother asked her again.

"Yup."

"The time for invasion has come! Sphere hunter team Gullwi..." Brother stopped parading around. "Hm? Your friendly neigh... Heh? What are we called now?"

"Does it really matter?" Shinra asked.

"Good point..." Brother danced around, instantly back to normal. "Surging Flapping Neighboring Gullwings, attack!"

"Whoa, such passion!" Buddy exclaimed.

"Seriously!" Rikku agreed.

"I'm so moved," Paine said, her voice leaded with sarcasm.

"At any rate, let's go!" Yuna cheered.

"It's biff time!" Rikku and I said, hi-fiving.

"The Gullwings' last mission," Shinra murmured. "Let's do it."

"Hey, hey, hey, none of this 'last mission' business, you hear?" Brother scolded him.

"For me...it probably will be." The little guy approached Yuna. "Be careful." He gave her a hug, the first time I'd ever seen him actually ACT like a kid.

"I'll be fine," Yuna told him. "We're just going to talk, after all."

"Save the huggy-huggies for your triumphant return! Yes!" Brother giggled in a creepy way, and I rolled my eyes. Some things would never change.

"Um, hey, look what the boys thought up!" Buddy said, standing by Brother and Shinra.

As they did their little cheerleader moves, I walked over to my own brother, hugging him.

"Why are you hugging me?" he asked.

"You're staying here." He started to protest, but I cut him off quickly. "Don't you even think for a second I'm letting you out there. I've already lost too many people. I am _not_ losing you, too."

"And you think I don't care about _you _going out there?" he argued.

"This is something I've got to do," I shot back. "Don't compare our situations. They're just not alike."

He almost started to argue again, but he stopped himself.

"...The only reason I won't fight you on this is because I know you'll come out okay," he sighed. I couldn't help but smirk. "But...take care of Yuna for me?"

"Given," I said, patting his cheek. "See you later."

"See you."

}{}{}{

As the girls walked through the Farplane, they didn't speak much unless needed. All four of them were wrapped up in their own individual thoughts.

"Dylan," Yuna finally said to the brunette, who was continuously tossing a rock up and down in her hand. "What are we going to face?"

"Fighting some old aeons again," she replied, pocketing the stone. "Then we should run into the Syndicate soon."

"Hmm..."

Dylan half-smiled. "I feel like there's more you intend to ask me?"

"Well... What did Addison say?"

"Ah, him? He's all worried." Dylan smiled. "But I can't afford to lose anyone else, so I made him stay behind. Apparently now my job is just to keep protecting you." Yuna couldn't help but blush a bit.

Suddenly the air around them became freezing cold.

"What's going on?" Rikku squeaked, rubbing her bare arms.

"It's our first battle of many," Dylan told her, changing into the Black Mage dressphere. "Shiva."

As if in response to her name, the large, ice-covered aeon floated down from the darkness to greet them. However, any kindness she might've once possessed was completely gone. She stood before the Gullwings, no mercy left in her empty eyes.

"Let's just get this place warmed up," Dylan said with a wink, casting Firaga on Shiva. The aeon winced, obviously feeling the extra pain of the stronger element.

"That was an awful pun," Paine said as she swung her sword at Shiva's legs. The aeon dodged it.

"Bad karma," Dylan joked.

Angrily, Shiva threw icicles at the girls, hitting both Rikku and Dylan in the stomach.

"She's bitchy now that she's not on our side," Rikku sighed, healing herself and Dylan.

"Just keep casting fire spells," Yuna told Dylan. As if she needed to be told. Still, Dylan nodded, casting another spell.

"Save your strength, though," Dylan warned them. "Our last fight with an aeon will be the hardest."

"I hope you don't mean who I think you mean," Rikku said with a grimace as she cured the girls.

"Sorry."

Immediately after Paine and Yuna both took a couple of shots at Shiva, Dylan cast another fire spell, bring the former aeon down to a knee.

"Yes!" Rikku cheered. "Almost there!"

As if meaning to counter that statement, Shiva sent down a large ice block onto Rikku.

"Ouchies!" she cried, pouting as she cured herself. "She's cranky!"

"Let's just put her out of her misery," Yuna said quietly, shooting Shiva through the shoulder. The aeon winced, looking angry again. She appeared ready to attack back, but then flames from Dylan's staff engulfed her, and she completely collapsed, bursting into pyreflies.

"Hnn...it's always so much harder in person," the brunette said, changing back into her normal clothes. "...We should just keep moving."

}{}{}{

I had never seen the Magus Sisters in real life, only in the Final Fantasy games. Unprepared was a slight understatement for me. Already so much had changed-would this fight be different as well?

"There are three of them!" Rikku cried when they appeared before us.

"Yep, and they work together," I answered, dressed as a gunner for this match. "Let's just focus on one of them so they can't do any trio attacks."

"The fat one is the only one I can tell apart," Paine admitted with a broad smirk.

"Then we aim for her first!" Yuna exclaimed, slashing the aeon sister with her elbow blades.

I have to admit, even though Rikku obviously handled the Thief dressphere best of all, Yuna was a pretty kick-ass thief as well.

"Time is of the essence in this fight!" Rikku shouted, casting Slow on the sisters.

"And thank goodness time is on our side," Paine countered, healing us all.

"Oh, so you won't make fun of HER lame puns," I said with a laugh, firing bullets into Cindy, our temporary target.

"Because I know for sure she'll fight back," Paine admitted.

"Hey!"

Yuna got the last blow for Cindy, causing the aeon to fall backward, knocked out.

"Pick one, Rikku," I said, gesturing to the two sisters left.

"Ummm...that one!" Rikku pointed to Mindy, the weakest of the trio.

"Sounds good to me!" Yuna cried, and the two of us went in to make the kill.

The poor thing didn't seem to know what hit her; she plopped over, energy exhausted. Yuna and I together were really pretty powerful. I kind of wanted to know what Paine and I-the two who were physically the strongest-together could do.

Rikku, however, had switched into a White Mage, letting Paine switch to the Dark Knight dressphere.

"Epic timing!" I exclaimed, straightening up. "Paine, I want to see how much damage the two of us can do together. Wanna try?"

Before she could answer, I felt something hit me on the side of the head. Sandy had attacked us while we were distracted.

"Why are all of these aeons so BITCHY!" Rikku screamed, healing us all. I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'll make it stop," Yuna assured her, switching into the Warrior dressphere. I watched as she went in to smack Sandy around, and Paine followed her. As for me...I held my throbbing head in my hand for a moment, trying to recover.

}{}{}{

"You have got to be kidding me," Yuna groaned as their final aeon opponent came forth from the darkness. "Dylan, tell me this is a sick joke."

"If I did, I would be lying to your face," Dylan replied, looking up in the blood-red eyes of none other than Anima.

"What's so bad about this one?" Paine asked, clueless as to what they were talking about.

"Well, Paine, first, let's just look at it," Rikku began, gesturing to the large aeon before them. It roared angrily, ready to battle. "If that's not enough, wait until you feel its attacks."

"Nooooo, I'd rather not go through that again," Dylan said quickly, changing into her normal dressphere. "C'mon, let's kill it before it decides to kill us first!"

The other three nodded in agreement.

"This might be a good time to try a special dressphere," Yuna suggested, glancing at Dylan, who shrugged.

"It can't hurt," she agreed, stepping back. Rikku stepped forward.

"We'll try mine!" she exclaimed, clutching the sphere close to her body. The others watched as she glowed blue, then summoned forth a giant gold machina beneath her. "Monster versus machina! Let's go!"

Rikku used all of the power she could muster through the dressphere, but naturally, she grew tired after a while, and so the four girls united once again to finish off Anima.

"He's definitely mad now," Paine said, looking up at the aeon, who was roaring angrily, rearing back his head.

"This looks too familiar," Yuna murmured.

Suddenly, a thin beam of light shot from Anima's eye into Dylan, who yelped, taking a knee.

"It's always...me...isn't it...?" she breathed, panting for air. The devastating "Pain" attack had struck again. "...But...I'm a hell of a lot stronger this time!"

Rushing at the monster, she unleashed a series of powerful roundhouse kicks. Anima growled, not even having the strength to roar anymore.

"Somebody finish it off!" Yuna cried, healing Dylan as she staggered back, visibly sweating.

"Got it!" Paine said, striking Anima with her claws. The Berserker girl jumped back as Anima cried out in pain, bursting into pyreflies, just like the others had.

All four girls stood panting, gazing into the darkness.

"...Let's keep going," Dylan said quietly, wiping the sweat from her brow.

}{}{}{

Finally, after taking a moment to catch our breath, we proceeded forward, but of course, we ran into someone familiar. At first I wondered how it was possible, but then I remembered: we were in the Farplane. Anything was possible.

"Yuna," the little boy fayth said, standing in front of us. "I'm sorry. We weren't strong enough to stop him. We wanted to at least warn someone...but instead, we were dragged into the darkness." He hung his hooded head. "We're no better than fiends."

"It's all right," Yuna told him, mustering a smile. After all, how could she blame this little kid? How could anyone, for that matter?

"Forgive us," he said. Yuna just walked forward.

"Please. Tell me," she begged him. "What is he?"

"Shuyin? Just a shadow." The fayth shook his head quickly. "It may look like him, but the real Shuyin died long ago. Even after a thousand years, his hate and misery linger on. His feelings grew so strong, they began to act on their own... Eventually, they became a shadow-a shade that wants only to vanish, but cannot."

"Just a shadow..." Yuna repeated. She nodded once, confident. "I can handle a shadow."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Leave it to me."

Smiling, the fayth disappeared without another word.

"The question is, are we all ready?" Rikku teased, dancing her way to the front of the group, facing the rest of us.

"Given," Paine and I answered in unison.

"Sounds good to me!" Rikku waved a hand in front of Yuna. "Yuna, you lead."

"I'll banish shadow with light," Yuna replied, smiling softly.

"Light?" Rikku echoed, confused as always.

"Lenne's feelings," Paine told her.

Yuna nodded again, still smiling gently.

"That's right. Call it...love."


	28. Chapter 28: Our Sky

Chapter 28: Our Sky (youtube - watch?v=gVe68UpamBE)

Memo: I can't believe it! This has gone by so freaking fast! Everyone, thank you for sticking with it! Just a little more! :D Enjoy!

FLASHBACK START

Yuna sighed, smiling gently. The breeze felt so free, even better than being on Besaid. Something about flying was so free.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Turning quickly, Yuna saw her bright-eyed cousin standing there with a grin on her face.

"So? What do you think of your first flight on the Celsius?" Rikku asked, slowly walking toward Yuna.

"...I'd definitely be lying if I said I didn't love it," Yuna admitted with a half-smile.

"So you're going to stay with us, riiiight?" Rikku peered into Yuna's eyes, smiling sweetly. "I mean, we'd really love to have you along with us. Even Paine."

"Did she say that?"

"Well, no." Yuna giggled. "But Paine never says anything, see? I can see it in her eyes, though. Things will be so much more interesting if you come with us." When Yuna didn't respond, Rikku added, "Please?"

"If I say yes, will you leave me alone?"

"Yes!"

"Then yes, I'll stay with you."

Rikku cheered, running off of the deck, leaving Yuna alone once again. The brunette sighed happily. She would've said yes anyway, but bribing never hurt every once in a while.

Closing her eyes, Yuna quietly began to hum the Hymn of the Fayth.

FLASHBACK END

As we walked into the Farplane Glen, a place considerably calmer than the previous area, I realized we were almost halfway through our journey through the Farplane. This meant we were that much closer to defeating Vegnagun. But most importantly, I was closer to knowing if Tidus was really going to come back or not.

"Hey!" Rikku exclaimed when she saw the Syndicate standing there, waiting for us.

"Hmph. You certainly took your sweet time," Leblanc complained, tapping her hip with her index finger impatiently.

"Since when do you wait on us?" I scoffed.

"Why are you here?" Yuna added, furrowing her brow.

"Because the boss never goes against Lord Nooj's wishes," Logos replied. He sounded bitter, though.

"You found him?" Paine asked, surprised.

"As we was headin' in, we found a sphere addressed to the boss," Ormi explained.

"He said, 'Don't follow me. Turn back now and wait for my return,'" Leblanc finished dramatically.

"Actually doing what you're told? How novel." Paine smirked.

"What can I say? One look at Noojie-Woojie's dashing visage on that sphere and I was-oh!-charmed. How can I say no to such a kyootzie wootzie face? What if he-"

"Don't worry," Rikku interrupted, catching on quickly. "If he knows you're waiting, he has a reason to come home."

"And wait I shall," Leblanc said firmly, tilting her chin up so she was looking down at us over her turned-up nose. But behind the strong-woman image I saw someone not so different from the rest of us. She just wanted love. There's really nothing wrong with that.

"We'll tell him that you're waiting like a good girl," Rikku told her, smiling brightly as usual. Maybe she felt she could relate to Leblanc, too, because of Gippal.

"You do that, love," Leblanc said, nodding. "And don't forget to stress 'good girl.'"

}{}{}{

"Before we keep going, I wanna ask you guys something," Rikku said, grabbing Yuna and Paine by the arms. Dylan stopped on her own, having been behind Rikku anyway.

"Can it wait?" Paine asked, sounding a bit irritated.

"No, not really. I might forget otherwise," Rikku confessed, grinning. Paine sighed, defeated.

"What's going on?" Yuna said.

"I wanted to ask, before things got too messy: are you staying with the Gullwings?"

Silence.

"I just want to know," Rikku continued, "so I can make my decision from there."

"I will," Dylan replied after a moment. "Unless I am physically unable to, I'll stay with the Gullwings as long as I can, no matter what." She shrugged, smiling. "I think it's important to keep searching for spheres, anyway, right?"

Rikku beamed at her friend. "That's what I think, too. But what about you guys?"

"Eh, probably," Paine replied. "What else better do I have to do? Besides, I kind of enjoy pounding down fiends."

Rikku grinned, but her face soon fell when she realized Yuna hadn't responded yet. "...Yuna?"

The brunette hesitated, then finally replied with, "Well, now I feel pressured."

"Do you not want to stay?" Dylan asked, trying to sound neutral so she wouldn't further bias Yuna's thoughts.

"I don't really know," the former Summoner admitted, sighing. "It just kind of depends on what happens with all of this. But I promise, after this is over, I'll have an answer for you."

"...I...I guess I can handle that," Rikku said, putting on a happy face for the sake of her cousin. "Okay, sorry to be a distraction. Let's keep going! We're almost there!"

}{}{}{

The four of us passed into the dark orange cloud to end up in a misty place with sprawling paths. Luckily, I knew where we were and, most importantly, how to proceed.

"Yuna," I said, "you and I are going to take care of this."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused. I pointed to the barrier far ahead of us.

"See that? We can only open it one way-"

I ran forward and stepped on one of the glowing plates in front of us. It rang out a note.

"We press all of these, and then we play the notes on the keyboards up ahead. Then we're free to pass."

"Yep, this is definitely your job," Paine said, backing off.

"You big sissy," I teased, grinning.

"Proud to be. Have fun."

"I'm with her," Rikku jumped in. "It's all you."

"Well, good thing I have it memorized, then, huh?"

Yuna smiled, impressed.

"Good," she said, nodding. "We can get through this quickly, then."

"Given."

Yuna followed me as I ran up and down the paths, playing each note, just to check. Finally we reached the first strange-looking keyboard.

"What a sad melody~," I sang to the tune of Shuyin's song.

"Not bad," Yuna said with a laugh as the first part of the melody locked in. She motioned for Paine and Rikku to move ahead with us.

"Watch yourself on the electric barriers!" I called out to them, jumping down from the platform to run on ahead. "We've already fought enough fiends for my tastes."

"Agreed, agreed," Rikku shouted back, laughing.

We repeated the process twice more: Paine and Rikku waited and watched patiently as Yuna and I took on the melody that I conveniently already knew. For real, if only the actual battle with Shuyin had been that freaking easy.

"Well, here's the last bit," I said, biting my lip as I played the familiar melody. In a burst of brilliant light, the barrier between us and the final step to Vegnagun disappeared.

"...There's someone there," Yuna told me.

"That would be Gippal. C'mon, let's go."

}{}{}{

"Gippal!" Rikku cried, not bothering to hide her worry as she rushed over to the blonde, who was kneeling by a cave's entrance.

"I got...careless," he told her. She frowned a bit.

"Are you all right?" Paine asked him.

"I could use...a nap," he admitted with a weak laugh.

"Tell me a place and time and we'll all join you," Dylan said, smiling.

"Where's Nooj?" Yuna asked.

"He went ahead."

"Guess she couldn't stay away," Rikku said randomly.

But it wasn't so random after all. Leblanc and her henchmen were approaching. She looked beyond impatient.

"I never said where I would wait!" she shot back, finding a loophole.

"Well, then please, take care of Gippal," Yuna told her.

"You dare give me an order?" the blonde snapped.

"YES," Rikku said, gritting her teeth as she got to her feet in a defensive rage.

"Look, we'll tell Nooj you're waiting like a good girl and doing your part for the team," Paine bribed. It seemed to work; Leblanc calmed down a moment to think.

"All right, I'm in."

The girls calmed down, and then Gippal held out something to Paine.

"Hey, Dr. P," he teased, a half-smile on his face. 'A gift from Nooj."

It was a sphere. Leblanc seemed a little jealous as Paine took it, curious.

"It's from two years ago," he continued. "Said it was inside the sphere camera."

"I'll watch it later," Paine said, starting to pocket it.

"Hey," Yuna said quickly, stopping her. "You should watch it now. Think about it. You know you won't be able to fight your best as long as it's on your mind."

Paine considered this for a moment, staring at the sphere. She was a bit nervous about it, but how could it get any worse?

"You're right," she decided, holding out the sphere in front of her friends.

}{}{}{

The sphere started out with Paine, Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal on a boat, probably on their way to training or something. Anyway, it appeared to be a pretty night.

"Whaddaya got in mind for fun?" Gippal asked his friends. His gaze fell on Paine. "Any ideas, Dr. P?"

"Me?" she said. "A ship that glides through the air. That thing you mentioned before. If it's for real, I wanna fly it."

"You get to be pilot, then," Baralai told her. "And maybe I'll try my hand at navigation."

"Then I'll be engineer!" Gippal exclaimed cheerfully in a way that kind of reminded me of Rikku.

"Nooj?" Baralai said, looking to the eldest of the group.

"Captain," Paine answered without a second thought.

"Ah, that's perfect."

"You'd let an amateur be captain?" Nooj asked defensively.

"Chill out, Noojster," Gippal said quickly. "All you gotta do is shut up and look important and you'll fit the part."

"Like a glove," Paine agreed.

"I'll work you like dogs," Nooj said seriously.

A moment of silence, then the four burst into laughter, even Paine, even Nooj. The sphere faded out with that wonderful sound.

"What happened to that Paine, I wonder," Paine said quietly.

"She's inside you, sleeping," Yuna replied with a confident smile.

"Well, she's slept long enough, I think," I said, pursing my lips with false concern.

"Yeah, wakey, wakey!" Rikku exclaimed. "Time to set sail!"

"Your captain and your navigator are waiting!" Yuna told her. Paine nodded. The four of us began to head on ahead, but Rikku stopped by Gippal once, whispering something to him quickly in Al Bhed. I didn't catch it, but he smiled, nodded. She smiled brightly, too, then bounded back over to us.

"Let's go!" she cried, running ahead.

The second we stepped into the next area, Paine sighed.

"It's another music puzzle, isn't it?" she said, frowning.

"I got this," I told them. "Wait here."

Jumping onto the nearest platform, I hopped from ledge to ledge, playing the notes. I continuously hummed the theme, not wanting to forget halfway through. But I knew I'd memorized it...music never came difficultly to me.

Soon we were able to proceed, but all four of us hesitated, and not without good reason, of course.

"I got a hunch that once we go on ahead, there's no turning back," Rikku said quietly, tapping her index finger against her chin.

"A hunch?" Paine repeated.

"Yeah."

"That's it?" Yuna teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

"A hunch it is, then," Paine said, nodding once.

"But when have hunches ever stopped us?" I asked. My friends smiled, and so the four of us continued on together for the last part of our struggle.


	29. Chapter 29: Heroine

Chapter 29: Heroine (youtube - watch?v=Tuv033I0wR)

Memo: *spazz* OMG OMGOMGOMG! I can't believe it! We're to my favorite chapter! :D FINALLY. Well, I hope you enjoy it as much as me! Thanks for reading, and LET'S DO THIS ! XD

FLASHBACK START

Trisha gazed up at the hard lights above her hospital bed. At first she had complained about having one shining down on her face, but she'd become used to it over time.

_You'll make it, Dylan_, she thought, closing her eyes. _I know you'll find the way back_. _You're the only one who can, after all_.

Sighing through her nose, Trisha concentrated on breathing, listening to the sound of the monitors next to her.

_I know I can't do much now to help you, but I don't think you really need my help, do you_? she wondered. _Still, even if you don't need it, I want to help you. It's my duty as your friend_.

Trisha sighed again.

_The light is too bright now_, she realized, staring straight into it. Slowly, she breathed in and out, then went silent.

}{}{}{

"Wait," Emi said quickly, stopping Dylan in her tracks. "I want to tell you something."

"What?" Dylan snapped, whirling around. "Make it quick, before somebody dies."

"...I'm sorry." Emi could see Dylan's face go blank in confusion. "I'm sorry I was a bitch to you before. I had no idea what I wanted or what I was supposed to do when I got here. But... I realize now." She paused, trying to find the words. "What I'm supposed to do, I mean."

"And what's that?" Dylan murmured.

"I was supposed to help you." Dylan didn't say anything, so Emi went on. "I was supposed to help you bring Tidus back. That's my real purpose here." She pushed back her hair. "I'm sorry I didn't realize that earlier. Will you forgive me for being an ass?"

A smile spread across Dylan's face.

"Em, you've always been an ass," she declared. Emi just grinned back. "So I guess I'm used to it."

Suddenly, Emi felt something heavy knock her off of her feet. She felt her body go flying, then slam against the ground. Letting out a scream, she lay there, like a doll. Everything hurt. She'd hit her head so hard that she couldn't see. She could taste blood.

Everything had happened so fast that she didn't even feel herself leave.

FLASHBACK END

"Both Baralai and Vegnagun belong to him now," was what Nooj greeted the girls with.

"Shuyin..." Yuna murmured, looking up to the top of Vegnagun. Baralai was sitting at the organ that controlled the machina. In the right light, they could see a ghostly image of Shuyin as well.

"I have a plan," Nooj continued, bringing Yuna's gaze back to him. "Can't call it a smart one, though."

"What's that?" Paine asked, suspicious. Nooj was famous for being reckless. He was what some called a Death Seeker.

"He acts through another's body. Stop the body and you stop him. I'll shoot Baralai."

"No!" both Rikku and Dylan protested.

"His body will be useless, but if we're lucky, he won't die," Nooj continued to explain. "Shuyin will abandon Baralai. And then he'll come back for me."

"What then?" Paine said, frowning deeply.

"I will die. My body has already been rigged. I'm taking Shuyin with me."

"Nooj..." Yuna whispered, frowning as well.

"But...you're our captain," Paine said quietly, lowering her eyes.

"Exactly," Nooj replied.

"I don't like your plan," Yuna interjected suddenly. "It sucks."

"Well said," Dylan agreed, clapping.

"Your plan is awful. Think about it. It's no different than what we did two years ago," she told him, a hint of anger in her voice. "We destroyed our own allies. We destroyed the aeons who had fought together with us, at our sides. We didn't have a choice then. We believed that was the only way we could save Spira.

"Do you know what it felt like to watch them die? Right before my eyes? It was the only thing we could do. It was the only choice we had. I gave in, I accepted, I believed. I allowed it to be true. I thought I'd be able to go through with it without ever doubting myself. But I..." She paused, pushing back her sadness. "It hurts so much."

"Forgive us," Yuna heard the little boy Fayth say, but she kept on. This all needed to be said.

"Everyone was so happy. 'Great job, Yuna. You did it. You saved us all.' There were too many smiles to count. And I know that I was smiling, too. But now...when I look back..." Yuna tilted her head back, scrunching up her face. "The people who should be here aren't. The ones who should be smiling with me aren't here."

"We had no choice," she heard her father say.

"'We had no choice.' Always 'we had no choice.' Those are our magic words. We repeat them to ourselves again and again. But you know... The magic never worked! The only thing we're left with is regret."

"Yuna...I'm sorry," Braska said quietly.

"No. I don't want this anymore." Yuna paused, a smile slowly making its way onto her face at last. "I don't want friends to die...or fade away. I don't want battles where we have to lose in order to win. Nooj, I know that what you say is what you mean to do. Give me your resolve. Believe in Yuna."

"Hmm," Nooj said in a low voice. "So you have a plan."

"Light?" Paine guessed.

"That's Plan B," Yuna told her, nodding once. "But before that... Hey, Rikku." The blonde perked up at her name. "No matter how monstrous it looks, Vegnagun is still just a machina. So we can take it apart, right?"

"Uh, yeah...uh, maybe?"

"You never used to be the think-before-you-act type. What gives?"

}{}{}{

Rikku was already acting all nervous, but Gippal suddenly showing up just blew any hope for her mind to work correctly right out of the water.

"Leblanc!" Nooj shouted in surprise as the blonde led her henchmen over to us.

"And I never was the wait-like-a-good-girl type," she said, smiling. "Isn't that right, Noojie?"

He looked confused, and rightly so, since we never _actually _explained what happened.

"Vegnagun can be destroyed," Gippal said, bringing the conversation back around to the main topic. "Abso-posi-you better believe it. Wanna know why?"

"'Cause people built it!" Rikku exclaimed, grinning. ...I take back what I said earlier. Apparently distractions help her focus better? Or maybe she just wanted to show off for him.

"Right!" Yuna agreed. "Everyone! It looks like we can stop that thing after all."

I think Vegnagun heard us, because it began to make ominous noises, roaring and growling.

"Bwahahah!" Ormi laughed. "Now it's pissed!"

"Witless little widget, isn't it?" Leblanc scoffed.

"What about Shuyin?" Nooj asked Yuna.

"Plan B!" she replied.

"Oh?"

"Love."

"Nuu puo (Hoo boy.)," Gippal groaned, shaking his head.

"The ultimate illusion," Nooj joked.

"It'll work!" Yuna insisted. "I've come this far to bring Lenne's feelings to Shuyin. I'm not stopping now."

"The power of love conquers all!" Leblanc gasped, sighing dreamily. "So romantic! Count me in."

"Heads up, you guys," I said, looking to Vegnagun, who was reacting more and more as we continued to speak.

"Look!" Paine shouted, pointing. Now everyone's eyes were on the machina. We all watched it awaken, readying itself for battle. Yuna and Nooj led us to the main road, preparing for battle as well.

"It's just bluffing," I heard Jecht's voice say to us.

"This relic's getting rusty," Auron's voice added.

"Yuna, you have your friends," Braska said.

"If we all attack at once, we can do this!" Yuna cried. "We need to split up!"

"Leave the legs to us!" Leblanc said, motioning to her cronies to follow her.

"We've got the torso!" Gippal exclaimed, running off, his energy obviously restored.

"Guess that leaves the tail!" Rikku said.

"Okay, let's go!" Yuna cried, leading us into battle.

"See you later," Nooj said to Paine before joining Gippal.

"This part will be cake," I said with a smirk, looking at the big tail. "Do you wanna place any bets on how many hits it'll take?"

"It depends on what we're going to bet," Rikku said, not bothering to hide her interest.

"Well, if I win, you have let me pair you and Gippal up," I said, watching in amusement as Yuna and Paine laughed and as Rikku reddened.

"Th-Then if I win, you have to sing and dance a song for us by yourself when we're done here!" she shouted.

"Fine, deal!" I swung my sword over my shoulder. "My bet is 16!"

"I bet 23!"

As I put all of my strength into each swing of my sword, I noticed Rikku barely knocking into the metal plates of the tail.

"You're so cheating," I said, laughing. Rikku reddened again, caught.

"S-So what if I am? We're already to 14 anyway!" she pointed out. She was right. I would have to destroy the tail in two hits in order to win the bet. It wasn't likely, but I had to at least try.

Crying out with effort, I smashed my sword into the tail twice, but it kept moving.

"Damn," I said, wincing. My shoulders were stinging with pain.

"Can't wait to hear the song, Dyl!" Rikku teased, throwing a good hit. And of course, the tail collapsed from effort. I growled under my breath as Rikku straightened up, proud of herself.

"What's next?" Paine asked me.

"Yunie, they're in trouble!" Rikku suddenly gasped, pointing up to the Syndicate.

"Boss!" Ormi shouted. "Let's get the heck outta here!"

"You want to get the heel?" Leblanc snapped.

"You can 'heel' us when we get home!" Logos insisted.

"Come on!" Yuna shouted, running toward them. We followed, and I started laughing.

"That's a pun!" I giggled. "Heal? Heel? I've never noticed before."

"What are you doing here?" Leblanc yelled at us when we reached them. She paused, not bothering to wait for the all-too obvious answer. "I'll let you have this one. I'm going to cheer Noojie on."

The blonde got up and ran.

"Hehe, heel..." I laughed, sincerely amused.

"I think you need sleep," Rikku said with a grin.

"Nonsense. There's no time for napping now. Besides, I still have a bet to win."

}{}{}{

"Okay, so now we're even," Dylan said with a tired but confident smile as Vegnagun's legs exploded in the background. "Matchmaking for the win."

Rikku pouted, defeated. "Fine, fine." Suddenly the blonde gasped, looking up ahead. "Look!"

The girls could see small explosions up by the torso. Although they couldn't tell exactly what was going on, it obviously wasn't good.

"I'm going," Paine stated, running off.

"Wait up!" Dylan shouted, following her and dragging Yuna and Rikku along with her. On the way up, they came across Logos and Ormi again, both wounded and out for the battle.

"Please..." Ormi gasped.

"Help the boss..." Logos begged them.

"The Gullwings are on it!" Yuna exclaimed.

The girls reached the torso to see Nooj, Gippal, and even Leblanc actively fighting it. However, a powerful blast from lasers pushed the group back.

"This thing just keeps on ticking," Gippal groaned, sitting upright.

"We'll finish it," Paine told him.

"Do it," Nooj urged her.

The girls stepped up to the metal-plated body of Vegnagun, preparing for battle.

"Any bets this time?" Dylan asked Rikku, who thought for a moment.

"Hmmm...how about bets on who gets the last hit?" she said at last, smirking. "If I win, you...you have to be a musician like Yunie!"

"That's a weird bet, but okay." Dylan sighed, changing into the Berserker dressphere. "If I win, you have to...keep the Gullwings going for as long as possible, okay?"

Rikku smiled, her eyes sparkling with tears.

"You got it," she said quietly.

"And you know she's just going to let you win, right?" Paine told Dylan. The brunette grinned.

"That was my intention," she admitted in a whisper, laughing as she ran in to attack the torso.

"Watch the lasers," Gippal called from the sidelines. "Those things are nasty."

"Lasers and I have a bad history," Dylan said, taking a couple of good shots at Vegnagun.

"Oh, I remember that," Yuna sighed.

"What do you mean?" Paine asked. Dylan paused, walking over to Paine. She quickly removed her gloves, revealing the deep scars.

"This is from our last adventure," she told Paine, frowning. "Even after all this time, they haven't faded out yet. But I-"

Interrupting Dylan mid-sentence, a laser flew by Dylan's face, skimming her cheek.

"Owww," she whined, pouting. Whirling around, she put her gloves back on, clenching her fists as blood trickled down her face. "That was not necessary, you little bitch."

She and Yuna ran in, blasting into the torso. It groaned with pain as the girls went to work smashing it in. And, of course, Dylan got the last hit.

"What now?" Paine asked as the head of Vegnagun collapsed onto the edge of the platform.

"Uh..." Rikku hummed, crossing her arms. "Maybe we're finished?"

"Finished indeed."

The girls jumped as the possessed Baralai spoke and began playing the organ to fire up Vegnagun's lasers.

"Baralai!" Nooj shouted, but it was no use.

"All of Spira is finished!" he cried wickedly, his voice and Shuyin's mixing together.

Slowly, Vegnagun seemed to get a second wind, straightening up as it prepared its last effort: the giant laser that could destroy all of Spira.

"He's got a Plan B, too!" Rikku cried, stepping back.

"He's panicking," Yuna heard Auron's voice say. "Yuna. End it now."

"This is it, everybody!" Yuna shouted to the group. "Stay focused!"

Vegnagun's great body opened up, revealing a large cannon.

"Go for the head!" Dylan shouted to them all. "The cannon is just a distraction!"

"Good work, as always," she heard a voice say in the back of her mind. A smile appearing on her face, she pulled out her Gun Mage dressphere.

"Let's finish this!" Paine cried, heading in with her Dark Knight sword in hand, smashing it into the head.

"We'll give it our last effort, too," Gippal said, beginning to push himself up.

"No," Rikku said quickly, pushing him back onto the ground. "We'll handle this. Just rest, okay?"

He grinned. "Is Cid's girl actually worried about me? Mark the time and day." She blushed.

"J-Just be quiet!" she exclaimed, running back to join her friends.

As expected, the battle didn't take long, and soon Vegnagun was completely disabled. Shuyin jumped down from the organ, abandoning Baralai's body, making the man collapse onto the platform. Paine ran to him, dragging his unconcious body off to the side.

Going with her plan, Yuna changed into her Songstress dressphere.

"Shuyin," she said.

"Lenne?" he breathed, taking a hesitant step forward.

"There's something I must tell you," she continued. "Words left unspoken for a thousand years." She paused, then said, "I love you. And I'm grateful...grateful that you stayed with me until the end."

"But, I couldn't save you!" he cried desperately.

"It doesn't matter. Please don't go on grieving alone. Rest." In that last word, Lenne's voice came through, and Yuna felt at ease.

"We can finally fade...together?" he whispered, hopeful. Suddenly, he could see Yuna, and he realized what was happening. "No."

"Wait!" Yuna exclaimed, noticing the sudden change in his demeanor.

}{}{}{

"You are not Lenne!" Shuyin shouted angrily, pulling out a big sword that resembled Tidus' old sword. Before any of us could prepare to defend ourselves, I saw a flash of energy and felt something painful strike me in the gut. When the light cleared, it was clear Shuyin had gotten a good first strike on both Yuna and I.

"Damn," I breathed, cringing as I changed into my normal dressphere. But before I could counter him, he came in again. I don't know why he was targeting me all of a sudden. Was it Yuna's image that turned him away? Perhaps it reminded him too much of Lenne.

"Dylan, change to a White Mage," Rikku told me.

"She can't," Paine whispered. I didn't know what she meant at first, but then I looked at my hands. They were glowing with a black outline. I'd seen it before in other battles-it meant I was Cursed, and I couldn't change my dressphere.

"I'll change then," Rikku said.

"We can't afford it," I countered. "Let's just finish this quickly and carefully, okay?"

We'd been too busy talking to notice Shuyin approaching with another devastating attack. I could feel the sharp sting of his sword against my chest and neck. Tilting my head back, I could taste blood.

"My turn," I declared, stepping forward, tightening my fists. Getting a good running start, I threw myself at Shuyin, pulling out some of my old parking-garage-scuffle moves. But when I grabbed his waist with my legs to throw him back, he was ready for me.

The pain was like nothing I'd ever felt before. His sword went right through my body, and he ripped it out quickly, mercilessly.

Crying out, I fell to the ground, clutching my stomach. I could barely breathe, and the taste of blood was constant in my mouth. I saw Rikku beside me, trying to heal me with a potion, but it didn't help-it just stung and made me hurt more. Whatever was in that sword was pure poison.

Rolling over away from Rikku, I spat out blood and let out a sob of pain. Nothing had ever physically hurt this much before, and it took a moment, but then I realized the terrifying truth: I was actually dying. I didn't know what it was like, but somehow I knew. I was dying.

Straining, I reached out my hand, waiting to see an all-too familiar face. I knew if I died, it would be okay. I'd be with him again.

My strength was almost completely gone; it was a struggle just to blink or breathe, things I used to take for granted. Everything was numb, and I couldn't hear much of anything anymore.

Suddenly I saw feet by my hand, two pairs of unfamiliar shoes.

"What did you do to get in this mess?"

The voice couldn't have been any more familiar, though.

A dark hand grabbed mine, pulling me up. I stood, looking into Trisha's and Emi's faces once more.

"I...I'm dead, aren't I?" I asked them, in awe.

"No, but you're still dense," Emi replied, putting a hand on her hip. "Good to know."

"Yeah, somehow that's reassuring," Trisha agreed, nodding.

"What's going on?"

"Did you think we'd let you give up that easily," Emi said, putting a sword into my hand, "after all you've been through?"

"And after all _we _went through?" Trisha added, poking my side playfully. "C'mon, get real. This is far from over."

"...I'm so confused," I admitted, tears in my eyes.

"Look at it this way..." Emi pressed my fingers around the hilt of the sword. "You get one more shot not to mess things up, okay?"

"We're going to help you, of course," Trisha jumped in, beaming. For once, she looked like she felt better. "We always have, right? We're always one in our hearts."

"...Triple Threat..." I whispered, grinning at the memories.

"Exactly," they said.

The next thing I knew, I was standing on the battlefield again, Trisha and Emi by my side. Trisha was dressed in all white, holding a white staff, and Emi was in black and purple, holding a black and green staff.

"Triple Threat, at your service," they said, and I heard myself say it with them. It was sheer proof that once hearts are connected, they always are, even after death.

Sticking my sword into the ground, Emi and Trisha did the same with their staffs, and it sent out a large wave of power that smashed into Shuyin, knocking him back.

"Payback time," I said, pulling up my sword and swinging it into him. He fell back, obviously weakened. But we didn't let up. I watched proudly as Emi sent down streaks of lightning, shocking him.

"Stop!" he cried, slumped over.

}{}{}{

"Stop!" Shuyin begged them. Yuna watched in awe as the trio backed off. So that was how things once were for Dylan...

"Shuyin..." Yuna murmured, stepping toward the broken spirit.

"Don't try to tell me you understand," he growled.

Yuna didn't know what to say, but what happened next was answer enough. In a burst of gentle light, Lenne appeared out of Yuna's body, walking toward Shuyin.

"Lenne?" he gasped. He reached out a hand to her, and she took it, squeezing it softly. "Lenne."

"Hi there," she said as he took her other hand, still on his knees

"A thousand years, and this moment is all we get?" he sighed.

"This moment's enough," she replied. "I don't need anything else. Just knowing how you feel is enough." Gently, Shuyin layed his head against Lenne's stomach, squeezing his eyes shut. "Shuyin, let's end this. Let's go home."

"Can we?" he asked.

Lenne put her hands on Shuyin's shoulders. "That was all a thousand years ago. We've come too far to look back now." He let out a shuddery sigh "Rest, Shuyin. Rest with me." Lenne embraced him tightly. "Let's go. I have a new song for you."

Lenne looked over her shoulder at Yuna and smiled, completely genuine.

"Thank you," she murmured, and the two faded together at last.

"Dylan?" Rikku said quietly, gesturing to her friends. The brunette jumped, turning to see her two friends disappearing again.

"Why do always look so worried?" Trisha asked her, smiling as she tilted her head. Her blonde hair waved around her face as she looked at Emi. The dark-haired girl grinned.

"She does, doesn't she?" she agreed, laughing. "Well, don't worry. And if us saying that isn't enough comfort for you, then know this..."

"We're in a place you can find us again," Trisha finished.

"And we don't mean the Farplane," Emi said quickly, grinning.

From the light emanating from their bodies came a small sphere. It fell into Dylan's hand, warm.

"When you need us, use it," Trisha said. The two girls began to walk away.

"G...Goodbye," Dylan said quietly.

"...More like...see you later?" Emi said with a smile. Trisha nodded in agreement, and the two girls faded into the light.


	30. Chapter 30: Morning Glow, Mark 4

Chapter 30: Morning Glow, Mark 4 ((FINALE)) (youtube - watch?v=GmL2vO1N6mk)

Memo: OMGWTF? I can't believe how faaaaaaaast this went! O.o Well...here we are! If you've made it this far, thank you so much for sticking with it! I hope it ends to your liking! ^^ Okay, let's go! Enjoy! And thanks again, eternally! ~Emi Hikari

FLASHBACK START

The Gullwings stood on the dock outside of Luca Stadium under the morning sun, staring at Yuna, who was thinking the request over. Gippal, Nooj, and Baralai stood opposite them, waiting patiently.

There were no words exchanged after the request was made. Rikku looked over to Gippal, and he just smiled, anticipating their response. Dylan and Paine exchanged glances as Yuna smiled at the ground. Her blue and green eyes lifted to her best friends, looking each of them in the eye.

Without words, the decision was unanimous.

Turning around on her toes, Yuna faced the boys, grinning.

"It's time for me to go home!" she exclaimed cheerfully. Whipping herself back around, she jogged over to her friends, hi-fiving them.

It was going to be a well-deserved break, and then the adventures would continue, just as planned.

The girls ran to the Celsius, jumping aboard as they waved goodbye to their friends, knowing that they'd meet again soon enough. And so they disappeared into the sunrise.

FLASHBACK END

The three men stood in the arena of Luca, where Yuna and her Guardians had once stood two years earlier. They faced the crowds of Spira, ready to address what needed to be said.

"Once my friends and I dreamed of flying," Nooj began, leaning into the microphone. "We would sail a ship, with me as its captain. In time, I became that captain. I found a new ship with new friends. My ship was the Youth League."

The Youth League members of the audience cheered loudly to show support for their side.

"Others chose a different captain," Baralai continued. "Their boat was New Yevon."

Polite clapping ensued as Gippal took over the mic.

"You know, I realize I'm like a lot of you people," the blonde said, his energetic voice bursting through the speakers. "We want a captain. And we want a ship to ride, but more important than that... Really, we all want to ride together."

This time, the entirety of the audience cheered together, as if to disprove the cliques were ever there.

"There are some things you can't do alone. But they become easy with friends beside you," Baralai said.

"This was the lesson that we learned when we launched those ships," Nooj added.

"It was power..." Baralai told the people. "And we misused that power. We turned our friends and followers against each other."

"Forgive us," Nooj said, and he and Baralai bowed. Gippal, not want to feel left out, bowed as well.

Quieting the discomforted crowd, Baralai spoke again. "Somehow we forgot. There's a much larger ship out there. One we've been riding ever since we were born." He smiled softly. "That ship is Spira."

The audience exploded into cheers and applause.

"No one knows just where our voyage will lead us," Nooj said. "But we do know one thing: One way or another, we will get by. We'll go on living. The Calm will continue."

Again, enthusiastic applause.

"Just one more thing: We all owe thanks to a very special lady," Gippal said, smirking broadly as the crowds freaked out. "Yeah, you all know who I'm talking about. We really hoped that she could be here today." He paused, thinking back to the Gullwings' departure. "She left a message. She said she's going home. So farewell, but not goodbye."

With a loud roar coming from the engine, the Celsius suddenly lifted up above the stadium.

"See you next time, kiddies!" Brother's voice rang from the ship's macrophone. "Yeehaw!"

The ship took off into the blue sky, becoming a blur of pink and purple in the clouds.

}{}{}{

It was such a good ending, the four of us on the deck of the Celsius as we soared freely through the clouds.

"Did we really have to leave like this?" Rikku complained to me and Paine. "Just think of the party we're missing!"

"Hmph. I think we party enough, don't you?" Paine replied. Rikku giggled in agreement.

"This will definitely be a well-deserved break," I said, sitting back on my heels.

"Brother, higher!" Yuna shouted, laughter in her voice.

"Roger!" he shouted back, and we felt the ship shift up, higher into the shelter of the clouds.

"Brother, faster!" Yuna cried out, not bothering to hide her laughter now.

"Rogerrr!"

"I can't hear you!"

"Rogerrrrr!"

The Celsius shot forward, the wind becoming more intense, but still just as satisfying.

"Proof that some things never change," Rikku said with a grin. I smiled brightly.

"The only things that change are the things that need to," Yuna replied, looking back at us over her shoulder.

"Well said," Paine murmured, nodding in approval.

I didn't bother saying anything else. After all, she was right. What more needed to be said?

We flew through the sky for a little while longer, and after a while, the sky began to clear, and the upcoming sunset left a purple line on the horizon. The air was still and quiet, except for the sound of the engine.

I thought it was a pretty good way to end our journey, all things considering. I think pretty much everything had reached closure, except one major factor, but I'm getting there.

Suddenly, piercing the air, a whistle sounded out through the sky. My friends froze as I jumped to my feet, stumbling a bit as the ship moved below me. Inhaling deeply, I placed my index finger and thumb to my mouth, whistling back as loudly as I could manage. Rikku winced, so I knew it was loud enough.

When I heard the reply back, I knew it was for real this time.

"Brother!" I shouted, running toward the door to the inside of the ship. "Land this ship right now!"

}{}{}{

Addison turned at the sound of his name being chanted.

"Addy!" Dylan cried, jumping into her brother's arms happily.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, amused.

Dylan just laughed, running away toward the bridge. "You'll seeeee~!"

"...Will YOU tell me what's going on?" Addison asked Yuna as she walked by him. She just smiled.

"I think he finally came back," she replied. Addy tilted his head, confused.

"You mean Tidus?" he said. She nodded. "I'll believe it when I see it. What makes you say that, anyway?"

"While we were up on the deck, we heard a whistle," Yuna explained. "Any other time, when either Dylan or I heard that, it was one of us, but neither of us did it this time. I think this is all for real."

Addison smirked. "I hope for her sake that it is. She's been through enough."

"But she got closure with Emi and Trisha. This is so different," Yuna said, shaking her head. "This isn't about closure. It's about her not being able to give up. And I think it's about to pay off."

Addison sighed, putting his hands behind his head. "I gotta give her credit. She has a lot of faith in herself."

"Who'd have thought there's someone with more self-confidence than you?" Yuna teased, poking Addison's side and running off.

"Hey!" he cried, laughing.

He chased Yuna down to the bridge, where Dylan, Rikku, and Paine were standing, waiting for the ship's door to open. Yuna dove behind Dylan, giggling.

"Your brother is trying to kill me," she told her.

"May I ask why?" Dylan said, dancing with anticipation.

"She insulted my self-confidence!" Addison said, feigning anger.

"Or excess of?"

Yuna hugged Dylan, laughing, as Addison sulked.

"Here we go!" Brother shouted from the pilot's seat. Dylan felt the floor beneath her shift as the door began to drop down. There was crystal blue water below them, sand and palm trees on the horizon. She recognized it to be Besaid, but the thing she recognized first was a young man with dirty blonde hair standing in the water, squinting up at the ship.

"Well I'll be damned," Addison murmured as Dylan jumped down into the water.

}{}{}{

I probably should've waited a couple seconds before jumping down, because I landed hard on my feet and splashed water all over myself and almost lost my balance completely. But did it really matter? Was this real? I wasn't for sure yet. I'd had enough fake-outs to leave me wondering.

Tidus laughed, giving me a small wave. I laughed too, trying to imagine how stupid I must've looked. Ignoring it, I jogged over to him, placing my hands on his face when I reached him.

"Hell," I whispered, "you're real this time, aren't you?"

"I think so," he replied, smiling.

"Good," I murmured, throwing my arms around him. I felt his arms wrap around my waist, holding me tightly. Finally, _finally_ I had him back. And what made it even better was that I knew he loved me and no else besides me could have him now, because something had permanently etched him in my heart.

"By the way," he said quietly. I could the smile in his voice. "You still have something of mine~."

"...I do, don't I?"

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out Tidus' old glove. He just smiled brightly.

"I'm a little surprised you still have it," he admitted, grinning stupidly. Pouting, I slapped it against his hand.

"O ye of little faith," I said, unable to hide a smile.

It literally felt like nothing had changed, strangely enough. We had literally just picked up where we left off, like the good old days. Of course, it's not like things were exactly the same or anything, but it was comforting to know our basic friendship hadn't changed at all.

"Hm, it's in decent shape," he commented, putting it back on.

"Because I'm responsible," I told him with a smirk.

"Well, I guess you did a good job. Thanks."

Pulling me close to him, he pressed his lips into mine gently.

Ah, yeah, I'd definitely be lying if I said I hadn't been looking forward to that for a while.

I'm a little surprised Addison wasn't yelling something about him keeping his hands away from "my little sister," but I'm glad he didn't. There was, however, someone else.

"He-ey! Long time no see, ya?"

Tidus and I looked over to see Wakka, Lulu, and a few other people from Besaid standing there watching us.

"Things really haven't changed, have they?" he asked me.

"Hm, I guess you could say that."

Grabbing his hand, I pulled him along behind me, and we ran toward our friends, our steps in synch with one another. I could hear my brother, Yuna, and the others behind us, splashing around as they jumped into the water, and for the first time in a long time, I felt complete.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, I lifted my face toward the sky, smiling. Even though two of my favorite people weren't physically there with me, I knew they were watching, and I knew I could always find them again.

And I wasn't sad, either, taking a break from the Gullwings. I knew that after a little time off, we'd continue, and there'd be more of us, and we'd be better than ever. If there was one thing I learned from all of this, it was patience.

Oh, and also, that the best is always yet to come.


	31. Epilogue: Go Lady Dynamite

Epilogue: Go Lady Dynamite (youtube - watch?v=xqVZxobhS_4)

Memo: I love the songs Lady Go! and Lady Dynamite, so I combined them because I couldn't decide which I liked best for the title. XD Okayz, I hope you enjoy this last bit of Dylan! Minna, arigatou! Kamsahamnida! Thank you very much! ~Emi Hikari

}{}{}{ TWO YEARS LATER }{}{}{

"You're good."

With those two words, the two brunettes burst into the locker room. The team members, startled, jumped and acted ready to fight.

"Don't worry, we're not here for you," the taller of the two girls said, putting a hand on her hip.

"Got it," the other commented, pulling out a yellow-green sphere from one of the empty lockers. "What a wasted hiding spot."

"We'll be going now," the first said, saluting as the second ran behind her.

"S-Somebody call out the guards!" one of the guys shouted as the girls sprinted off.

"Oh come on...did you just hear that?"

Sighing, the other nodded in response, pulling out her mic piece. "Rikku, we've got a situation. Pull in the Celsius, ASAP!"

"Roger!" the blonde shouted from the other side.

"Let's split up! One of us will run into Paine eventually, right?"

"Can't beat that logic."

Dylan took off in the direction of Luca's docks, holding a decoy sphere tightly in her hands. Her feet pounded in time with her heart as she sprinted down the pathway. Suddenly, she stopped, catching sight of the tv.

"Hmm..." she hummed, watching the Blitzball game closely.

"Don't worry, we're still ahead."

Dylan whirled around to see Paine standing there, smirking.

"I love how easily distracted you are by it, by the way," she added, taking the decoy sphere out of Dylan's hands.

"Well, my brother and my boyfriend are both playing, so I have reason to care, okay?" the brunette replied, grinning. She gasped in delight as Addison assisted Tidus in a goal. "Yes! Finally. We're ahead!"

"C'mon, the ship's here," Paine said with a laugh, dragging Dylan off by the arm. "We'll come back later."

Laughing as well, Dylan followed her willingly, waving to Rikku and Gippal, who were watching through the Celsius' windows.

"All aboard!" Brother shouted through the macrophone as he dropped down the door. "Let's go, go, goooo!"

Paine ran up the slope, but Dylan hesitated for a moment, turning back to get one more look at the tv screen.

"Dylan, c'mon!" Rikku exclaimed.

Smiling to herself, Dylan turned and boarded the Celsius.

"Here's to the future!" Yuna said, grinning as she tossed the sphere to Dylan, who smirked back.

"Cheers."


End file.
